The Devil You Don't
by AMinorGlitch
Summary: So here's the deal, Miss Nikos: You are about to die. You know this, I know this, she knows this. In the next breath your life will end. Know that this is your doom. Your destiny. Here you will die as decreed by those who spin the strands of fate. Know also that in this one moment I can defy this fate. For a price.
1. The Deal

**Once upon a time, atop a ruined tower in the city of Vale a young girl's story was about to end. A hero cruelly cut down by a villain. It was a sad tale. One you've likely heard before which doesn't surprise me in the least. After all, this story has already been told, it's outcome preordained, yet fate is not unchanging. Like a river it can be shifted. Like a thread it can be cut. So ask yourself, dear friend...**

* * *

"Do you believe in destiny?"

It was a question full of spite. The smirk left the other woman's face.

"Yes."

A simple answer.

So this was her fate.

She was disappointed in herself. So much for being the Invincible Girl.

Cinder Fall raised her arms. A bow of black glass appeared in her hands, the string already drawn back. The arrow meant to kill her appeared a moment later.

Pyrrha was never one to hate, but she hoped with all her heart that the monster before her would meet justice someday.

The fingers holding the string released.

The arrow flew. Death on swift wings.

But it never came.

The moment stretched.

It never came.

The arrow hung in the air frozen. Cinder Fall stood unmoving. Even the flames around them stood silent and still.

The world had stopped.

 _Was this death?_

She tried to move and failed. Even her eyes couldn't shift.

She stared at her killer unable to do anything else.

"Pretty isn't she?" A man's deep voice cut through the frozen world. Had she been able to she would of screamed in surprise.

Foot steps echoed across the destroyed tower and her hope soared. Had a hunter with a powerful semblance come to help?!

Her savior strode past her and into her view. A light blue long coat with white highlights. Black boots with silver filigree. Black hair cut at shoulder length and slicked back.

 _Stylish. Coco would like him._

She didn't recognize him, but she didn't care if he could help then...

"Beautiful even." He spoke softly as if to himself. "Wickedness often comes in surprising packages." He turned to face her and if her heart was still beating in her chest it surely stopped.

Yellow eyes like a cats rimmed by red sclera stared down at her. They were not human eyes, nor the eyes of a Faunus.

"Of course you know that already, don't you, Miss Nikos?"

Her mind screamed in almost feral terror.

 _Not a savior. Not a friend._

Instinct honed by combat and training told her to flee, but she couldn't. She was trapped.

 _With a monster._

He sat down on thin air the blue coat parting to reveal a white undershirt and a pair of dark dress pants.

"Calm yourself, my dear, I mean you no harm."

 _Lies._

He meant harm to everything that lived. To all things of all places.

The world would burn at his touch.

He smiled and her stomach turned. She realized why with sudden clarity. He was perfect looking. Not handsome or attractive, but flawless.

 _Unnatural_.

"Quite the opposite in fact. I'm here to save you!" He waved an arm nonchalantly, the motion somehow almost ethereal. "Well, I'm here to make you an offer that may or may not involve saving your life at any rate."

"So here's the deal, Miss Nikos. You are about to die. You know this, I know this," He vaguely gestured at Cinder Fall, "she knows this. In the next breath your life will end."

She stared at him defiantly. Did he expect her to be afraid?

 _All hunters are prepared to sacrifice their lives._

"Of course, of course." He spoke soothingly and her mind began screaming again as she realized he could hear her thoughts. "I am merely insuring you know the... depth of the situation."

He leaned forward, still seated on thin air, and balanced his elbows on his knees to strike a considering pose.

"Is this the death you want? Is this how you dreamed your life to end? Here? As a failure unable to protect your friends? Unable to protect dear Jaune?"

Her mind froze.

 _I..._

He leaned back and held up a hand in a staling gesture. "Know that this is your doom. Your destiny. Here you will die as decreed by those who spin the strands of fate. Know also that in this one moment I can defy this fate."

 _That... You can..?_

"You have questions. Ask them. I will answer in nothing, but the truth." He placed his hand over his heart. " **Of that I swear.** " Something changed with those words. Nothing visible to her eyes, but it was as if he had some how shackled himself.

Ask? Ask what? Something simple.

 _Who are you?_

"A bland question. Call me Anduriel if you seek to name me."

She hesitated.

Had to know.

 _Will it hurt?_

"For a brief moment." He turned and reached out to gently touch the shaft meant to end her. "This arrow is infused with a great deal of power and will pierce your heart. Death will come almost instantly." He faced her once again. "Say what you will about Miss Fall, but she isn't cruel needlessly, if only because it isn't efficient."

Confidence surged through her. Relief as well, but she hesitated to ask more. He seemed to sense her indecision.

"Peace of mind comes at no cost, Pyrrha. I offer it freely if fate is what you choose." He smiled again and this time it didn't bother her nearly as much.

 _What will happen to me?_

"Ah, that I cannot answer. It is beyond even my sight what happens to the departed. Forgive my lack of knowledge, but if you choose to journey beyond you do so not knowing what, if anything, you will find."

 _The unknown doesn't scare me._

"Few things do."

She paused again to collect her thoughts. Finally another question, one she felt she should of asked first, came to her.

 _Jaune. Will he be alright?_

"He will survive this battle unharmed."

The short answer aroused her suspicion.

 _There's more. What aren't you telling me?_

He frowned slightly and clasped his hands together in his lap.

"My dear, you mean a great deal to him. Your death will devastate him. He will blame himself. He will seek answers." He indicated Cinder. "He will seek justice. If he ever succeeds is beyond my sight. Yet this day he will survive and many days to come."

 _And my friends?_

"They too will survive. Your death will impact your team badly, they will go with Jaune to find answers for this nightmare. Team RWBY will also suffer, both from your death and from the battle. They will, however, live through this day. Young Rose will cry for you for many, many nights."

Her heart ached, but at least they would survive.

Then her mind turned to ice as the full implications of his words hit her.

 _You said they would suffer from the battle. Suffer how?_

"Yang Xiao Long, in her rage, will lose an arm to a young man driven by an emotion even greater then wrath: hatred." Her mind began racing, but staled when he held up a hand. "Know that there is nothing you can do here to change that, no deal I am willing to consider will save her limb. It is not for her I am here and you cannot speak on her behalf."

Anger began to bloom in her thoughts and he smiled somewhat as if amused by her outrage.

"Always others first, Pyrrha?"

 _Always._

"A phoenix rises from it's own ashes, Miss Nikos. Miss Xiao Long will survive. A man known as James Ironwood will provide her a state of the art prosthetic for no charge. Given time she will recover and be stronger for it."

He leaned back in his invisible seat, crossing his legs.

He looked ridiculous. Like he was somehow balancing on one foot while in a crouch. He smirked again, likely finding her thought amusing, before becoming serious.

"Blake Belladonna will be forced to confront her past. She will leave this city and return home in hopes of finding both herself and answers. She will blame herself for Yang's injury, but beyond that will escape mostly unharmed."

"Weiss Schnee will also escape this fight mostly unscathed. Yet her father will use the disaster to... reclaim her." His lips twisted into a grimace of distaste. "He will try to break her. He will fail and she will find her own freedom."

A sense of relief was building within her. They survived. Ren and Nora. Jaune. Team RWBY.

They would survive this fight.

"It is Miss Rose who will suffer the most."

The feeling shattered like glass.

The memory of a shy young face smiling up at her on their first day at Beacon flashed through her mind.

 _What do you mean? What happens to her?!_

"You cannot see her, but she is behind you right now."

Her thoughts stopped.

 _Wha... what?!_

"She will witness your death. It will plague her and she will never truly forgive herself for failing to save you."

 _That isn't-! This isn't her fault! This... this is my choice! My mistake! She isn't-!_

"Were the positions reversed, Pyrrha, would you forgive yourself?"

 _No... but... it... it isn't..._

"Fair? Life seldom is, my dear. If it was we wouldn't be here, would we?"

She wanted to cry.

"Grief often blinds us to the truth, Miss Nikos. She will blame herself even if all the blame belongs to Miss Fall."

Her eyes refocused on Cinder. Surely Ruby would try to fight her. And the dragon was still there! Panic began to fill her. She couldn't win!

Anduriel followed her thoughts and glanced over his shoulder at the other woman.

 _Do they fight?_

"No" He shook his head as he looked back at her. "The shock and pain of witnessing your death will unleash a dormant power within Ruby. A power that will badly cripple Miss Fall and seal the dragon. It will drain her, leaving her comatose for a time, but she will recover."

He stood and stepped out of her view. She imagined him standing before the frozen Ruby Rose. Somehow she knew he was frowning. Unsatisfied with something.

"She will go with your team to find answers. In the aftermath of this battle these villains will triumph suffering only the most minor of set backs."

 _But... but you said Ruby will cripple her!_

He appeared suddenly behind Cinder a hand resting on her shoulder.

"She will, yet Miss Fall here is inconsequential. She is simply a single cog in a larger machine. Her purpose is to steal away the power of the Fall Maiden, denying that strength to the defenders of humanity. With your death she will succeed and, crippled or not, humanity as a whole will be weakened."

The realization hit her like a ursa claw to the gut.

 _I... was a fool... coming for her is exactly what she wanted..._

"Indeed, you played right into her hands. Had you run, you would of denied her at least some of the power she seeks."

He appeared right next to her without a sound.

"You still can correct that mistake, Pyrrha Nikos." He breathed in her ear before reappearing between her and the arrow.

 _I..._

"After your death." He continued as if nothing had happened. "Beacon will be lost. Ruby's power will seal the dragon, but it will continue to call Grimm to this place. A tide of darkness to wash away all memory of light."

So many thoughts raced through her mind.

 _Vale! What about the city?_

"The city will be secured though at great cost. The military and hunters will drive out the White Fang and fight back the Grimm, but with the dragon frozen atop Beacon they will never stop coming. How long they can hold against such an onslaught I do not know, but at the very least they will carry the day."

Too many thoughts, too many fears. She couldn't...

They all stopped as a phantom image of Ruby's horrified face surfaced in her mind.

At the idea of a someone telling Jaune that Pyrrha Nikos was dead.

The thought of her friends grieving for her.

Of the woman before her escaping to hurt even more people.

Was it selfish that she hadn't the strength to bear the thought of that?

 _Can you stop it?_

He froze, his yellow and red cat eyes focusing on her completely.

"If that is the bargain you wish to make. Yes, it is within my power to stop Cinder Fall."

 _At what price? What do you want?_

"My dear, I want the simplest thing of all." He spoke quietly then he was directly in front of her and all she could see were those terrible eyes. **" Daughter of Dust, Maiden of Fall, Chosen Guardian of Remnant in return for my aid I ask only this one boon: Allow me to be part of your world. Grant me entrance and I shall shatter the shackles destiny has bound you with."**

 _I...I don't..._

He took a step back and took a deep breath. "For this boon I would pay you almost any price, you have but to ask."

Her mind flooded with requests. She could at least see if he was willing to do what she asked.

 _Protect my friends._

"Agreed."

 _Stop Cinder Fall._

"Agreed."

 _Destroy the dragon._

"Agreed."

 _Save my life._

"Agreed."

 _And help me stop her masters._

Here he hesitated and that confused her.

"You ask much." He whispered. "If it was another... yet here and now, with you, it is a price I can pay."

He straighten and nodded. "Agreed. Is that all? Think hard on this, for I will not offer again."

There was nothing more to ask.

 _Yes._

"So be it. Pyrrha Nikos, this I so swear: **I will save you from this fate, I will guarantee your comrades survive this day, I will stop the current machinations Cinder Fall, I will destroy the Grimm Dragon, and I will aid you until such a time as you choose to release me or your quest against the Darkness that plaques this world is over.** "

As he spoke thin lines of red light appeared between them. With each promise a new glowing strand materialized linking them together.

" **In return I ask entrance to your world, granted fairly and without** **rescission** **. Should I break my vows so too shall I depart this world once more."**

With those words a single string of pale gold light joined the rest.

" **Do we have an accord?"**

The moment passed.

The dragon snarled. Fire crackled.

The noises of crumbling and stressed architecture surrounded them.

The sound of Ruby's boots hitting concrete behind her reached her ears.

The arrow flew.

Her lips parted to speak, but she had already given her answer...

* * *

 **A/N**

This is mostly just a test of concept and to get the idea out of my head where it had been bouncing around for months.

Edit: And away we go folks. Let's see were this rabbit hole of madness leads!


	2. Fate Defied

**Isn't it strange that when humans lack understanding they invent "monsters?" I've never understood it myself. Calling something a monster is often a statement of perspective in my experience. After all, to the mouse a cat is a monster. A human would be so complex as to be beyond comprehension to such a simple mind. Yet when the positions are reversed and men become the mice, seldom do they remember that those beyond them are just other creatures. Such beings must always be monsters. Or gods.**

* * *

A dull thunk sound echoed across the ruined tower of Beacon. The sound of an arrow striking a target.

"Pyrrha!" Ruby cried out.

The girl in question blinked stupidly.

Anduriel stood before her, still facing her, a satisfied smile on his face. He was slightly to the side of the arrow's path and in his hand...

"Wood?" She asked incredulously.

He hummed thoughtfully eying the arrow tip that had pierced the board.

She had expected something incredible. Some kind of amazing stunt. Maybe even just him snatching the arrow out of the air. Instead he'd casually kicked a broken piece of wood into his hand and stuck it in the arrow's path.

It was a smooth intercept and showed a great deal of dexterity, but it was just so mundane.

"Really?" She hissed at him.

She was almost offended!

 _Am I actually complaining about not dying?_

"The simple solutions are often the best." He responded flippantly. "I employ efficiency over theatrics, my dear."

"But a piece of wood?!" She tried to stand. She failed of course, but it was the effort that counted. Ruby was running towards them, too concerned to be cautious.

"It worked did it not?" He chucked the broken lumber before her. The arrow remained lodged in it. "A memento of this momentous occasion! I believe that is the first promise fulfilled."

The air between them flickered and a red strand of light flashed into existence then snapped in half before fading away.

"Always the easy ones first." He muttered.

"And who," Cinder began in a faux calm tone, "are you?"

"Ah!" He gasped as if he had just remembered where they were. He swept around, his coat billowing grandly, and bowed. "Miss Fall how rude of me not to introduce myself immediately. I am unused to interacting with humans directly you understand, so please, do forgive me. I am Anduriel. A pleasure to meet you."

The dragon snarled.

"You as well," He actually tipped his head to it which seemed to confuse the ancient Grimm, "charmed I'm sure."

She snorted.

 _No theatrics my buttocks._

"Pyrrha!" Ruby skidded to a halt next to her, Crescent Rose fully deployed. "What's going on? Whose what?!"

"Cinder is the one behind all of this." She ground out, trying to ignore the pain in her leg. She'd almost forgotten it while talking to Anduriel. "The... the man is Anduriel he's on our side. I think."

Said man chuckled. "Oh, undoubtedly. At least for a time yet."

Cinder was scowling. "Where did you come from? You weren't here a moment ago."

"Are you so certain?" He threw his arms out in an encompassing gesture. "My dear, I have been here since the beginning, waiting patiently for this one instant in time. Only here and now would the door ever open."

"Fitting that you would wait at your grave!" She snapped. Fire erupted from out stretched hands. A torrent of destruction.

Anduriel cocked his head as if curious then casually raised his own hand in answer. The fire simply ceased to be a few millimeters from his outstretched fingers like it had vanished through an invisible door.

The look of stupefied shock on Cinders face made everything else worth it. He could blow the planet up and she'd still consider it a win.

"Unfortunately, fire will not avail you." He crowed smugly.

The woman snarled and instantly resummoned her bow, an arrow was flying through the air almost faster then Pyrrha could register the weapon's reappearance.

Anduriel responded by kicking another piece of fallen debris, a small rock, up from the floor which the arrow deflected off of and impaled into the stone a few inches from the man's foot.

A section of the tower collapsing off to the side was the only sound in the stunned silence that followed.

"My, my you are quite quick aren't you?" He toed the arrow which promptly burned a hole through the solid concrete and sank out of sight. "Where you holding back against Miss Nikos or have I simply touched a nerve?"

Ruby shifted next to her. "Is he crazy? He seems kinda crazy." Then she panicked at her own statement. "Not that there's anything wrong with your friend being crazy! Or- or not crazy! I mean, uh!"

Pyrrha spared her the anxiety. "He's defiantly crazy."

"Leave. I won't give you another chance. All I want is the red head. Take the other girl and flee if you want to live."

"I fear I can't allow that. Her heart already belongs to another you see," Cinder Fall's face contorted in outrage, "and more then that I've made certain promises. Promises which include your defeat."

"What?! Promises to who? To Ozpin? He's dead! I killed him myself!"

"No, not to the Professor. His death is ultimately irrelevant. But enough talk." Something changed in the air. It felt charged, like the moment before a lightning strike. "So sorry, Miss Fall, but no words will settle this encounter."

Anduriel never moved, yet some how he was before his opponent. It was as if the space between them had simply never existed to begin with.

Pyrrha's breath caught in her throat and she heard Ruby gasp next to her. Even the dragon reared back with a snarl.

He brought his arm down even as Cinder's rose to block. The tinkling sound of glass being shaped into weapons filled the air.

Something a few millimeters from his arm smashed into the the twin swords his opponent had quickly brought into existence. Slim and coiling like a sliver of light given physical substance. Her vision slid oddly around it as if the air was some how folded in on itself. He pressed down with that ethereal edge, his arm acting like an sword blade.

It began to slice smoothly through the twin swords.

Cinder rolled out of the blow just as it cleaved her blades in half, dodging to the side.

The world snapped back to it's proper alignments. Anduriel still stood before them unmoved, Cinder a few meters away. The dragon behind her shifted uneasily.

"KILL HIM!" She roared.

The ancient Grimm pulled itself over the towers edge and onto the roof eagerly. Killing was something it understood well. It lunged as soon as it's legs were under it.

It would smash them flat, Pyrrha realized her eyes widening in horror. It wouldn't have to do anything beside land it's bulk on them and the fight would be over just like that! She felt Ruby tense uncertainty keeping her in place.

Anduriel's fingers twitched and the world _spasmed_. There was nothing else she could call it. Both Cinder and Ruby staggered as the distortion vanished. Impossibly, the dragon sailed past them, the confusion in it's eyes mirrored in the faces of the humans it should of killed.

As it flew past Anduriel lashed out with an hand, the same ethereal blades appearing at the tips of his fingers like claws. They rent into the beast's side ripping open long gashes as it crashed with a pained roar on the tower's other side.

It scrabbled for purchase to keep itself from toppling to the ground far below. The entire structure shifted omnivorously under its titanic weight, yet somehow it held.

"Now, now, this need not be a struggle. Surrender and your death will be as painless as I can make it." The jovial way he spoke sent a chill down Pyrrha's spine. Like he was discussing the weather rather then executing someone.

"What are you?!"

"Ah." He paused and turned to look a back at Pyrrha one unnatural eye gleaming brightly. "Now isn't _that_ the question?"

She went pale, all the blood draining from her face. The one question she should of asked and she didn't. Now he was under no obligation to tell her the truth even if she did.

"Think of me as an aberration." He said as he began to stride towards his foe. For every step he took Cinder retreated one. "Something that should not be, an impossibility given life. Yet it matters little what I am. To you I am simply an enemy. Nothing more, nothing less."

"I'll kill you!" She hissed, all semblance of calm shattered, the twin blades reappearing in her hands. She looked almost feral. "I'll kill you and them! You won't keep my destiny from me!"

He stopped mid stride. She couldn't see his face, but she could see Cinder's. The other woman expression had shifted from pure fury to sudden uncertainty.

"Destiny." He muttered, his voice full of contempt. He hunched forward, lowering to the ground until he was crouched like some bizarre predator. "Would you like to know the truth about **destiny?"**

Anduriel lunged forward and all semblance of a man vanished. She wasn't sure _what_ he was, trying to look at or remember it _hurt_ , but he was nothing even close to human. The impression of eyes and teeth was all she could gather before her vision blurred. The terror she'd felt upon first seeing him returned, though without the crazed edge it had carried at the time. In her heart she knew that this was something she was never meant to see, something no living thing was ever meant to see.

Reality seemed to agree with her for with his sudden transformation the world went completely and utterly mad. For one horrid moment up was left and right was backwards. Everything warped in on itself impossibly. He blended into that madness as if he had simply become the very insanity that surrounded them.

" **Destiny is written by mortal hands!"** Cinder Fall was thrown through that twisted world, screaming as the folding rips in reality slashed at her. **"Guided by mortal minds!"** She smashed into a solid wall of _something_ that burned like fire, yet cracked like ice. Her aura flared in it's efforts to defend her. **"Controlled by children hidden behind screens!"** Everything blurred together, a maelstrom of chaos and death. **"And it can be altered by anyone with the will try!"**

Then the world fixed itself. Anduriel landed on his feet a few meters behind his foe, disguised as a young man once more. Cinder Fall collapsed, covered in wounds and clutching her side. Ruby crashed to the ground with a groan and emptied her stomach, it took all of Pyrrha's self control not to join her.

 _What just happened?!_

"There is no destiny," Anduriel whispered, "except that which we pen with our own hands."

The dragon roared again. Despite the display of power it lunged forward to snap up the tiny insect before it. It knew nothing of fear. Rage and hatred were the full breadth of it's emotions.

Anduriel spun, his face a grimace of concentration as he raised his hands. The fire that had ceased to be returned to the world. Cinder's first attack exploded in the dragon's face in a shower of shadowy gore and ruined flesh, but it's fury was so great even such a grievous wound could not stop it. Teeth slashed forward and even though reality twisted so that the jaws snapped close on empty air the leading fangs still grazed Anduriel's side.

He gasped and fell to his knees, thankfully out of the dragon's immediate reach, as his hand tentatively touched his injury. The fingers came back red. He stared at it as if he had never seen the like before.

"So," He whispered quietly, "this is pain?"

Ruby gave a rasping cough, staggering to her feet. "He... He needs help!" She fire Crescent Rose backwards for a burst of speed as she charged.

The dragon pulled itself further onto the roof and made to lung again, to kill the little beast that had caused it such anguish. Ruby appeared between the Grimm and it's prey in a cloud of roses.

The pain of its injury would have caused a younger Grimm to frenzy, but the Dragon was old and while it knew no fear it had learned caution. A new warrior entering the fray caused it to hesitate when it had already been so badly hurt by underestimating the last.

"Ah, Miss Rose." He clutched his bloody hand shut and looked up. "Such a kind soul to come to my aid."

"You're hurt. Pyrrha's hurt. We need to fall back!" Despite her worry she never took her eyes off her enemy. She knew the moment she did it would attack.

"Run?" He scoffed as he rose to his feet ignoring the red stain spreading on his side. "I do not run!"

"Well there's a first time for everything." She hissed back at him.

He glanced at her then nodded. "Indeed. A first for everything. My power is not enough to deal with the dragon. I have overestimated my individual capabilities while bound in this form. Still, my control is enough to turn the tide in our favor I believe."

He grabbed Ruby by the shoulder and the world bent. She staggered as they landed next to Pyrrha. Cinder, who had been trying to stealthily edge her way toward the defenseless girl, stopped with a scowl still clutching at her bleeding side. Anduriel took the time to wag a finger at her before looking down at his to cohorts.

"Miss Nikos are you willing to fight?"

"What?! I thought you had this under control! That was part of the deal!"

"As did I. I have miscalculated slightly."

She stared at him in outrage. "You! You 'miscalculated'?! You're some kind of demon... ghost... _thing_ and you MISCALCULATED?!"

"Demon? Ghost?" Ruby muttered off to the side, eyes darting between them. "Guys? Wait! What deal?"

"Also, I would like to point out that I never mentioned _how_ I would be stopping Miss Fall and killing the dragon, only that I would." He nodded to himself. "You are viable tools to that end. This changes nothing of our agreement."

Her mouth hung open in disbelief. "Are you a lawyer?!"

"Demon ghost lawyer?" Ruby looked so confused it would have been adorable in any other situation.

They ignored her.

"Let us strategize." As he said that he waved a hand and the three of them appeared behind a broken chunk of wall. A tower shaking crash on the other side told Pyrrha they had likely just barely dodged an irate Grimm. "The dragon is more durable then I had anticipated and I am ashamed to say I used a great deal of energy on the attack against Miss Fall. Still, that is only a minor setback. With dear Cinder injured I believe we can focus our efforts on the dragon's destruction so long as we keep one eye on her. Are you willing to assist?"

"I am crippled at the moment!" She snapped.

 _Oh my, I'm in a very bad mood right now, aren't I? I'll have to apologize later._

"A small matter." He snapped his fingers and the pain in her leg vanished.

"Eh?"

Gingerly she rose to her feet then glanced down at her heel. There was still a bleeding, coin sized hole in her leg through which the arrow had passed. Her stomach turned and she looked at him accusingly.

"What did you do to me?"

"Hold that thought." Another twitch and a bend in reality, they landed elsewhere. She wasn't even sure where this time. Something detonated off to the right, likely the wall they had been using for cover. "I sealed the pain. You shall pay for it later, of course, when it returns, but I believe survival of the moment supplants future suffering in this case."

"Fine." She looked at Ruby. "Do we have a plan? It's huge and nothing I have can kill that. I also don't have a weapon. She destroyed..."

Her voice trailed off as Anduriel held out Miló and Akoúo̱ for her. She stared at her once shattered weapons for a moment then snatched them from his grasp.

She refused to ask.

That way lay madness.

"Thank you."

"Think nothing of it, my dear."

"Uhhhhhh," Ruby valiantly tried to ignore... whatever this was, "well nothing I have can hurt something that size either. Unless I get it in the eye with a dust round, but even that will probably just make it mad. I really think we should run and get-"

"Fight as normal and with confidence." They turned to glare in disbelief at the madman. "I shall augment your capabilities where I can. It should be more then enough to slay the beast."

He idly kicked a broken pipe into his hand and swatted another arrow out of the air. Cinder had managed to locate them.

Pyrrha starred. That would have gotten her right in the side of the head had he not stopped it.

He wagged a finger in their attacker's direction again. An infuriated scream and the crackle of fire was her only response.

Anduriel grabbed their arms and pulled. Her stomach flipped with the sensation of vertigo and they were standing on a crumbling section of wall, Ruby's arms pinwheeling comically, as a torrent of fire rushed past beneath them.

"Enough talk! Glory awaits!" With that he vanished from sight.

The tower tilted ominously, metal screaming in stress. Ruby's wide eyes looked up and Pyrrha tracked her gaze. Only to look right into the murderous eyes of one of the most ancient Grimm on the planet.

The dragon roared as it came down on them, the two huntresses just barely managing to avoid it's huge bulk as it smashed into the tower. The entire structure shook with the impact.

"Careful! Careful you fool!" Cinder barked. "You'll bring the whole thing down!"

It snarled in answer, apparently ignoring her, but for all she knew it could have been an affirmative. She didn't speak Grimm.

 **What are you waiting for?**

She paused and glanced around.

 _Anduriel?_

 **Fight, Pyrrha. Fear no darkness.**

He wanted her to fight?

She readied her weapons.

Then she would fight.

She lunged forward carelessly, the dragon saw her and moved to bring it's jaws around to snap her up, but she avoided the attack by rolling to the side at the last second. As she came back to her feet she staggered, barely managing to skip backwards out of the Grimm's reach as it brought a foot around to stomp her flat.

She'd actually forgotten how mind numbingly tired she was. Exhausted was an understatement.

"Leave her alone!" Ruby appeared in a burst of petals on the dragons back and slashed at it's neck. Both of them were surprised when Crescent Rose slid through the dragon's armor like a hot knife through butter. Pyrrha noticed the tell-tale warping effect of Anduriel's powers around the blade.

 _I see, he doesn't have the training we do. All power without any technique. Using us as channels for his abilities is more effective then him fighting alone._

The Grimm shrieked and thrashed, throwing Ruby off though she caught herself smoothly. As soon as she touched down she bolted forward again, deftly dodging under a claw and slashing at the Grimm's underbelly. It turned out to be surprisingly nimble now that it knew they could actually hurt it. It twisted it's bulk out of the way of most strikes, using it's greater size to simply shift around and avoid attacks that might have connected.

 **What's wrong?**

She jumped as his voice reached her again.

 **I see. You have strained your soul to the breaking point.**

 _Unfortunately._

She wasn't sure he could actually hear her thoughts still. It didn't matter anyways.

 **Then use mine.**

 _What?_

 **Use my soul. I have not the training to make use of it's power, but you and I are connected, Miss Nikos. Use my power. Destroy the dragon. Save your friends. Protect this city.**

Connected? Right. Connected through their deal. How could she tap into..?

She threw herself to the side to avoid a pillar of fire that erupted beneath her feet. As she rose she glared in Cinder's direction. The woman was smirking arrogantly again.

She wanted to wipe that expression off her face so much it almost hurt.

 **Focus.**

 _Right._

"Ruby, I'm going to try something!" She called out.

"We have a plan?!"

"An idea at any rate!" To herself she added. "Probably a bad one."

She was trained to tap into the souls of others. Not for combat, but it was part of unlocking another person's aura. For a few short moments two people became one. Jaune never realized how intimate what they'd done was. Few really did.

She reached out in the same way she would in order to sense another's aura, but without any real target. She immediately picked up... something.

It was definitely a soul, but it felt off. She knew what Ruby's soul felt like so it couldn't be her. It also couldn't be the dragon, Grimm had no souls, and Cinder was too far away. It had to be Anduriel's.

Cautiously she stretched out her own soul to "touch" it. Tapping into it the same way she would of another person's to unlock their aura.

Instantly, something vast and old turned its attention to her. It was so impossibly massive in scale that she gasped and fell to her knees. The being's spirit was a like star sized spotlight that blazed down at her.

 **There you are, Pyrrha Nikos.**

The connection between them solidified, what had been a wavering touch became a strong link. The spiritual equivalent of whatever the thing was grasping her arm.

And then power filled her. More then she had ever thought was possible.

She had always compared people's souls to bodies of water, a habit picked up from a old teacher.

Most people's auras were small, no more depth then a rain puddle. Those that had enough to actually become hunters were more like swimming pools. A few like Jaune, herself, Yang, or most fully trained hunters were more comparable to lakes.

Anduriel's soul was an ocean. A vast sea of nigh infinite power the likes of which no human or faunus could of possibly emulated. It threaten to overwhelm her for a moment, to drag her kicking and screaming away on the currents, before something reined it in. Drawing back what threaten to overwhelm and drown her leaving behind a more manageable torrent she could contend with.

 **Now fight, girl.**

Her eyes snapped open, glowing with the energy she now held and she rose to her feet. The hole in her leg was gone. The cuts, scratches and bruises mended. Ruby and Cinder both stared at her as she blazed with ethereal green light. The dragon actually retreated down the tower, hiding more of it's bulk over the edge.

"Impossible!" She heard Cinder breath. "You shouldn't have enough strength to access the Maiden's powers!"

"The impossible," She noted the odd echo to her own voice, "has been a defining feature for the day. Why stop now?"

The dragon roared and swung an oversized claw at her. She ducked beneath it and lashed out with Miló. The weapon bit into the wing membrane just behind the claw, the dragon's own momentum carrying the limb forward. Pyrrha grit her teeth and used her borrowed aura to anchor herself, ensuring the blade ripped from one end of the wing to the other before sliding away.

She dodged gracefully as the enraged beast came around with it's other wing. It seemed to move so painfully slow now and she easily avoided the strike. A flick of her wrist tore huge sections of metal from the ruined tower and hurtled them like spears at the Grimm.

She saw Ruby flash by, her scythe slashing at the Dragon's legs. Cripple and immobilize it. It could then be dealt with much more safely. It was a common tactic against all larger Grimm.

Pyrrha had no intention of taking that long, aware Cinder was still in the fight despite her injuries.

She focused on the plummeting metal, twisting the ends into points. Spears the size of lamp poles rained down on the dragon. The ends distorted further as the ethereal blades Anduriel controlled wrapped around the tips. The dragon bellowed, rage and pain rolled into one deafening sound, and thrashed as the impromptu weapons literally nailed it to the tower.

Black blood fell in torrents to the ruined floor.

"NO!" The word was the only warning she received, turning with Milo raised in time to catch one of Cinder's swords. " _You_ won't stop me here! Not after all this! I _will_ kill you!"

Cinder's strength flared, the mantle of the Fall Maiden adding inhumane might to her seemingly slender limbs.

Yet the younger woman didn't budge an inch.

Pyrrha's eyes narrowed as the floodgates she was tapping opened further, matching the Maiden's power with ease. She took a step forward and Cinder Fall slide the same distance back. Concrete shattered from the sheer pressure they exerted on the floor beneath them.

The building trembled and began to list, the battle having finally taken the structure beyond it's breaking point. It shifted away from her, towards Cinder, costing the other woman her balance. Pyrrha took complete advantage of her sudden fortune. She pressed down, using her better positioning and superior strength to drive the other woman to a knee.

Fire flared in Cinder Fall's eyes forcing Pyrrha to flip away to avoid a pillar of flame that would have consumed her. She responded by tearing a sheet of reinforced metal from the collapsing tower the width of a small house and hurtling it at her foe. The poor footing of the shifting building combined with the hurtling mass of metal's sheer size brought an end to their fight. There was simply no way for her to avoid it.

Cinder's shocked and disbelieving face was the last thing Pyrrha saw of the woman as she was smashed over the tower's edge, sailing out into the empty space beyond. She doubted the fall would kill her, even with her current injuries, but she was out of this fight.

 **Well done.**

 _Thank you._

She turned back to the dragon just in time to see Ruby hook her scythe around one of the arm joints and swing her entire weight around it. The limb was sliced off cleanly at the elbow, still attached to the Grimm by it's wing membrane, but effectively severed.

The creature shrieked again. Flailing wildly and forcing both huntress back. It turned to face them, it's eyes burning with unquenchable hatred. The ground fell out beneath them all as the tower tilted. The dragon used its last moment of contact to kick off the collapsing building in their direction. Its eyes locked on her, fulling intending to kill her if it was literally the last thing it ever did.

Her own eyes widen as she realized she was now in the same position Cinder had been in. She couldn't dodge the gaping jaws rushing toward her.

"Pyrrha!" A burst of roses clouded her vision and she was flying away further into the open air.

The Grimm's maw snapped shut on empty space behind them as Ruby Rose fired her weapon to push them out of reach. It's eyes followed them and it flapped its ruined wings, sheer malice over coming any pain it felt. It actually began to shift forward toward them, controlling its fall just enough to reach them.

She didn't give it the chance. Reaching out over Ruby's shoulder with one hand she grasped the largest piece of falling steel she could in her Semblance and warped it into a spear the size of a small skyscraper. She put all her borrowed power into throwing it at the ancient Grimm's back.

Somehow the Grimm sensed the incoming attack and its arms moved wildly in an effort to avoid its fate, but it simply lacked the control it needed to dodge with both wings effectively crippled.

The massive weapon pierced through it's target's back and erupted out of its chest. The beast screamed, a sound chillingly more human then anything it had made before, and plummeted toward the ground like a dark meteor. The noise of the impact was overwhelming and the pressure wave that followed sucked the air from their lungs.

Below them the dragon thrashed violently for a few moments, unwilling to die quietly. Then it stilled with an almost disappointed sounding sigh and the hateful red light burning in it's ancient eyes faded away.

They'd done it. They killed the dragon.

Yet it had cost them time, distance, and energy. All things they couldn't afford. There was no way they could stop their own fall she realized even as Ruby desperately fired her weapon downward in an effort to slow their momentum. They were already too close and she had burned all the power she had been given in that last attack.

She had nothing left.

She looked up at the sky above them, noting the lack of griffons or nevermore. They'd won. It was over.

Just before they hit the ground she wrapped her arms around the smaller girl, trying to offer what protection she could.

 **No you don't!**

The air rippled around her. Anduriel's attempt to help she was sure. She had no idea if it did anything, but she was thankful all the same.

Her eyes closed tight, bracing for what she was sure would be a painful death.

Ruby screamed.

Her back smashed into something solid, what was left of her aura flared then vanished with the impact, and her world became agony.

Then mercifully everything went dark.

* * *

 **A/N**

He's just a tiny bit of a screwball for a cosmic scale entity, isn't he? Were you expecting a demonic badass? A malicious being dedicated to the destruction of everything and everyone? Sorry to disappoint on the monster demon angle, though I think casually making reality your bitch qualifies him for the badass one.

I always imagine beings like him would be more curious then malicious. Haven't you even looked at an ant and thought: "I wonder what it's like to be that tiny? What does the world look like from their point of view?" That's essentially Anduriel's entire motivation. He's curious and found a way to satisfy that curiosity. That said he IS different in almost every way including morality. He sees the world different then us. Trust me it will cause problems. Kind of has already has since he essentially took fate and shoved it screaming into a trash compactor just to satisfy his own curiosity.

When it comes to the actual story, update schedule, or even finishing it. I make no promises. This is really just an idea that popped in my head one day and wouldn't leave until I committed it. Some friends thought it was good enough to share. So I did. Some people wanted more. Here's some more. I have no idea how far I can take the idea or if I will ever finish it. There is no plan. I'm running forward with my eyes closed and hoping I don't fall down a random plot hole.

PS: Someone called me out on the name. No this isn't a Dresdan Files crossover, but his name is taken from Nicky's Fallen as something of a homage to the series. I'm a **big** fan


	3. Reversal of Roles

**Someone once asked me what I was. How am I to respond to that question? With mockery and biting wit? With deflection? With the truth? What good is it to know what I am? I am beyond and besides you and yet below you at once. I am the Outsider. One from beyond all things. Formless, nameless, and purposeless. What I am is therefore a matter of perspective. To one person I might be an annoyance. To another a god. To still another a mere beast. To you? Well, only you can know that.**

* * *

Cinder forced herself to keep moving forward.

The dragon was dead. The White Fang had been mostly purged. Torchwick was missing, dead or in hiding she didn't know.

What a total failure this entire debacle had been.

The only success was Ozpin's death and that seemed a small victory to all the bitter missteps she'd made in this blunder.

Her side still burned, whatever the bastard had done to her was something her aura refused to undo. She was just thankful the bleeding had stopped.

It would have been an extremely humiliating death to bleed out like a civilian from such an injury.

She continued forward, she'd seen where the two brats had fallen and she wasn't going to let the Maiden's full power slip through her fingers. Even if the girl only possessed a tiny fraction of it she'd proven it was far to much to let her walk away with. It would be yet another small condolence to kill her.

"Are you sure about this?" Mercury muttered next to her. "It's not going to take the hunters long to clear the city without the dragon causi-"

She snarled quietly in response and the boy cut off with a chocked sound.

"Idiot." Emerald sighed. "It's just a couple of kids. It won't take long to deal with them."

"Enough."

All conversation ended and she strode onward with as much dignity as she had left. It wasn't much all things considered.

 _What a farce._

She paused as they rounded a corner and found instead of their target the dragon's quickly dissipating corpse. A monument to her inadequacy.

She shook her head and strode past it. The brats landed around here. Of course the girl hadn't done the decent thing and died in the fall, now she was stuck finding and executing her personally.

She wouldn't even have time to make them suffer for the inconvenience.

They rounded another corner, the dragon's body passing out of sight, and she spotted a flash of gold.

Immediately she began to stride toward it, a vicious smirk gracing her features as Pyrrha Nikos' apparently unconscious form came into view. The girl was partially hidden in a small furrow she'd dug in the middle of a sidewalk. Ruby Rose was off to the side, having bounced or rolled away, and also appeared to be knocked out.

"Kill the brat, I'll deal with Nikos." Even as she spoke she brought her bow into being. An arrow forming between her fingers.

"Oh, with pleasure." Came Mercury's response as he broke into a sprint at the downed teenager. "She slipped by me once. Not getting away this time."

Emerald made a sound of disgust, but made no move to stop him.

It didn't matter.

She let loose the arrow and began turning away before it had even hit, confident she could kill an immobile target. She spotted Mercury take a short leap and raise a leg for a powerful down kick, intent on splattering his own target beneath his boot.

The world twisted. Mercury came down with a crash almost back were he had started his sprint and staggered in confusion.

Emerald's gasp was the only warning she got as she threw herself to the side, her own arrow coming back for her at chest height and just barely passing her by.

"Hello again, Miss Fall. I didn't expect you to be foolish enough to remain within Vale. Is this confidence or desperation, I wonder?"

"What the hell?!" Mercury shouted. "How did you do that?!"

She spun as soon as she recovered from her desperate evasion and came face to face with the cause of all her problems.

"You!" She felt her lips pull back in a snarl of their own volition.

Standing between them and the two unconscious teenagers was the same man from the roof. His blue coat blew gently around him in the slight breeze. His face was an easy smile, taunting them with his confidence. His damned, inhuman eyes however, bored into her own with a freakish intensity. He wanted to hurt her. She could feel his desire for violence through that gaze. If he could he would break her in a million different ways.

It sent a shiver down her spine.

"Who the hell are you?" Emerald shouted weapons drawn.

Mercury tensed ready to spring forward and attack again.

"Stop!" She hissed.

They both stilled.

She had no idea what they were dealing with. His abilities were an unknown. Whatever his semblance was it was one of the single most powerful things she had ever encountered, even eclipsing the strength of the Maiden's mantel, and allowing him to alter the battlefield as he saw fit. Even outnumbered she doubted he was truly threaten by them.

If she had to guess ambush would be his only real weakness. Direct combat was useless against whatever his ability was, he had proven that atop the CCT.

She subtly signaled Emerald to use her own abilities on him and take him out while he was distracted. The girl didn't react for a moment, then a grin split her face and she began to sneak toward him. The dark haired man didn't react to her at all.

She almost sighed in relief, as she had been unsure her subordinate's abilities would work against whatever his own were.

She just had to keep his attention. No point taking any risks.

"You must truly have a death wish to constantly be interfering in my goals." She snapped at him.

 _Keep him busy, appear angry, it would give him confidence._

She didn't really have to fake the anger.

"Let me at him." Mercury muttered. "I can take him."

"I doubt that very much, Mr. Black." The man, Anduriel he'd introduced himself as, replied. "You are quite strong, but you're little more then a brute. All force and no finesse. You'd be a rather pitiful opponent for myself. Hardly worth the effort."

Something pulsed in the air between them all and Emerald paused in her approach, obviously unsure. She was half way there.

 _Stupid girl, just keep moving!_

She eyed his side, the red stain there had grown considerably since the dragon had injured him. She wondered why his aura hadn't fixed it, but decided to play on his injury out loud.

"You think you can stop all three of us injured as you are?"

Emerald shifted forward, approaching cautiously, but he made no sign of noticing.

He laughed, actually laughed, at her. "You concern is touching, Miss Fall, but fear not this little scratch doesn't hamper me in the least."

Of course not. She wasn't that lucky. Or he was very good at bluffing.

She frowned. Did she call it or press on. Emerald stopped again as yet another pulse of energy seemed to emit from the man. Just a few feet.

"Don't mock me, boy! I'm not in the mood for it!" She fell into a combat stance and heard Mercury's feet shift to mimic her.

Emerald lunged at him from the side, her weapons deployed as sickles, so close she only had a few inches to cover for a lethal strike.

"Boy?" The man lashed out with an arm, his hand clamping down on Emerald's wrist and yanking her off course with a startled cry. He twisted as she fell and her arm made a popping sound they heard even from their position. Her weapons clattered to the ground with a scream as he yanked the green haired girl back against his chest, holding her like a shield. "I'm far too old to be called that. Certainly far to old for these little magic tricks."

"Em!" Mercury shouted and bolted forward, she was right behind him, a surge of disbelief welling in her.

How could he of possibly seen through the illusions, they were full proof. Even knowing Emerald was causing one didn't help actually see through them.

"Ah ah ah." He said chidingly as he raised the hand not holding Emerald in place to the girl's throat, the small shimmering blades appearing at his finger tips. The same weapons that had rent through the dragon's ancient armor like wax pressed against Emerald's neck just enough to let five small rivulets of blood start flowing. "No sudden moves now. We wouldn't want any accidents."

They both froze.

"Let her go!" Mercury hissed, still ready to bolt forward the instant something changed.

She took a moment to gauge Emerald and the pure terror in her eyes was all the information she needed. The man would kill her in a heart beat. Whatever the weapons were they ignored aura as well judging by the shimmer around Emerald's body.

This... this wasn't right. None of these goody two-shoes should be capable of this. _They_ were the ones who took hostages and threaten lives.

"What the hell do we do?"

She bite her lip, eyes narrowing. Ultimately she would sacrifice Emerald if she thought it would accomplish her goals, but with this man... she wasn't confident he couldn't just kill them all. He'd come so close to killing her once already. It was a pointless sacrifice, one she wasn't willing to make.

 _Different tactic. He has to be a free agent. Some kind of mercenary. So, bargain. Had to be quick. Motivation first._

"Why are you helping them?" She hissed. "You're obviously not one of Ozpin's lackeys, none of his little puppets would so causally threaten a life. Not even an enemy's."

He cocked his head to the side as if curious. "Truly? That seems remarkably naive. Well, safe to say I care nothing for your life." His hand pressed down and Emerald whimpered. "Or her's. Whether she lives or dies here means little to me."

She tensed and he smiled at her.

"Ah, but you care don't you, sweet Cinder. So alone in that black castle. Trapped in a sea of Grimm, with compatriots who think you a weakling. Now they shall think you a failure as well. Without these two you would be so painfully alone."

Her breath caught in her throat.

 _How?! How could he possibly-?!_

"She will be disappointed won't she?" His eyes burned into hers. "Does that frighten you, Cinder Fall?"

"How does he know any of this?" Mercury whispered.

"What of you, little Emerald?" He caressed Em's face with his hand, leaving small slices as his claws touched her cheek. "Is this how you imagined you'd die? Was it worth it, serving this woman who saved you from a life as a street rat? One life of crime exchanged for another. The only difference has been the scope of suffering you've inflicted on others. You've been a parasite since the moment you first drew breath."

Emerald growled and tensed, obviously ready to try something stupid.

"Emerald, don't." She snapped.

The man chuckled. "Listen to your dear Cinder, she knows what's best. Struggle and I might kill you by accident. Wouldn't that be a small tragedy? Though it would be nothing less then you deserve."

He looked back at her, his damned eyes flickering with amusement.

"She loves you, you know." Her thoughts stalled at those words and she swallowed thickly. "With all her heart." His hand hovered over Emerald's chest, the ethereal claws coiling inward. **"Perhaps I should show it to you?"**

"Stop!" Mercury roared and leapt forward, only to freeze again as those eyes turned on him.

"Ah, Mr. Black I'd almost forgotten you. Is this truly a better life? You traded an abusive father for a manipulative mistress." Mercury took a step back. "Perhaps bleeding out in that burning house would have been better, hhmm?"

"That's impossible! You can't-"

"Oh, I know you, Mercury Black. Son of an assassin and a whore. Murderer of his own father. How did it feel using the very skills he taught you to take his life? Did you enjoy it? Did you feel a _rush_ as the light left his eyes?"

"Shut up! You don't know me! You know nothing about me!"

"Would you like to know a secret?" His smile was venomous now, his voice dropped to a low whisper. "That was the same rush he got every time he took a life."

"Shut the fuck up!"

"Calm down" She hissed at him, but he was so focused on the man he didn't hear her.

She began to reach for him, to do what she didn't know.

Anduriel spoke before she could. "In the moment you killed him, you were more his son then you ever were before."

"SHUT UP!" Mercury tried to launch forward, but she lunged and managed to hold him back.

"Don't!" She snarled, the heat from her hands burning just hot enough to cause pain hoping it would snap it him out his rage.

He gasped and tried to throw her off forcing her to kick the back of his metal knee to buckle him. A normal person would of gone down, but Mercury's cybernetics took the impact without complaint and she growled in frustration as he continued to struggle.

"Mercury!"

He finally stilled in her grip and she let him go slowly.

"So easy to control." he dark haired man laughed. "Poor Mercury, you will ever be the pawn of others."

"Do _not_ listen to him!" She snapped as the boy tensed up again.

"How the fuck does he know this shit?! Who the fuck is he?!"

"I don't know."

That brought him up short. She always knew. It was who she was. Cinder Fall always held all the cards.

Except right now.

The cards were gone. Whatever little match they had been playing was over the moment this man sat down at the table and now they were only playing his game.

Except they didn't know the rules.

Or the stakes.

That terrified her.

"What," she started slowly making sure his attention snapped back to her, "do you want?"

"What do I want?" He laughed again. "I **want** to rip out this girl's throat. I **want** to watch her die and I **want** to see your reaction to it. What does a little monster such as yourself look like when it feels sorrow? I'm so curious I almost can't stop myself!"

His fingers tightened, Emerald's eyes clenched shut.

"Don't you dare!" The words came out as a snarl.

 _Have to keep in control. He's baiting us._

He snickered. "How does it feel, girl, to be on the other side of this situation? Your expression is priceless. Yet though I desire to kill this one and return to you even the smallest fraction of the suffering you've caused, this goes beyond my desires. I took her so we could talk."

"Please, I-" Emerald's voice cut off in a gasp as the arm holding her in place dug it's own claws into her side. A small river of red poured from the injury.

"You don't get to beg, my dear. You are so far beyond redemption for the sins you have wrought here that no words will spare your life. Not now or ever." He looked up from the girl he held and back at her their eyes locking. **"Yet action might still save you."**

She knew what he was asking. She closed her eyes and let the weapons fall from her hands. They vanished before they hit the ground.

"I won't surrender." She said calmly, far more calmly then she felt. "Not even for Emerald."

"Cinder, no! Fight, I'll be- ARGH!"

"Sshh, the adults are talking now." He glared into her eyes. She made herself stare right back. "I do not wish you to surrender. Leave this city. Flee and I will let you go."

Her eyes narrowed. "Why would you do that?"

"You have me at something of a 'damned if I do damned if I don't situation' if you attack. It is almost certain I do not have the energy to prevent you from slaying Miss Nikos unless I fatally exhaust this body in the process, however, if you do manage to kill her then I will have failed." His eyes burned into her with such intensity it almost physically hurt. " **I do not fail.** So then there is no reason for me to hold back at all. I am, as they say, a cornered rat. If nothing else I will ensure the three of you come with me. If I am to be denied this world, then I will take it from you as well."

She glowered. He was reveling too much, too many weaknesses. Unless he didn't consider them weaknesses at all. Desperation was a strength in its own way.

 _A cornered rat? More like a man with a bomb and nothing to lose. Dangerous._

"Let me be perfectly clear, Miss Fall, if you attack now you will deny me what I have sought for longer then you have drawn breath. I will be very... **displeased**. So displeased I will take you with me even if it means annihilating this city and every single living thing within it."

"What?!" Mercury growled. "You're bluffing! Even if we believed you had the power to destroy the city there's no way you actually would, all these people you're protecting-!"

"You mistake me, boy. I care nothing for the lives of those who live here. There are exactly eight living beings in this city I am protecting. Their lives are the only ones that matter to me. All the others are expendable. I would sacrifice all the world, provided they survived."

Now that was a rather chilling declaration. He had a goal and nothing beyond it mattered to him.

She was dealing with a monster. Someone with the mindset of Tyrian, but without the instability. That left her little room to bargain or maneuver. There was nothing to threaten, nothing to give.

"So here is my deal, Miss Fall. I will release your cohort here and you will leave. I will not stop you. Attempt to fight me or make a move toward the girl and I will kill you, even if it kills me as well."

He stared at here for a moment.

" **Do we have an accord, Cinder Fall?"**

She ground her teeth. Did she have a choice?

 _You can always choose death._

"We have a deal."

He shoved Emerald forward, his claws bit deep into her back and she screamed. The green haired girl staggered a step forward and the world warped dropping her next to Mercury who caught her before she could fall.

"You lying-!"

"I did not say I would return her to you healthy. Did you think I would simply let her go so you could regroup? Injured as she is now she's too much of a liability for you to risk combat." He waved his hand, a clear dismissal. "Now go. The hunters are coming for you."

She motioned for her subordinates to retreat, Mercury picking up a weakly protesting Emerald as he sprinted away. When Anduriel made no move to attack them she turned to follow.

"Oh, and Miss Fall?" She paused. "Do tell Salem hello for me. I so look forward to meeting her in person."

* * *

The sound of boots on concert reached Ruby's ears. Someone sighed and began to move toward her general direction.

She moaned as feeling returned to her. She really wished it hadn't.

"Welcome back to the world of the living, Miss Rose."

She pushed herself up with a groan.

Her everything hurt. Oh, _dust_ her chest hurt the worst though! She must of landed on her boobs. Hopefully that didn't stunt their growth or anything. Yang would mock her forever if this was as big as she got.

She flopped over with all the grace of a drunk cat and blinked blearily at the sky.

"I hurt." She muttered.

"I would imagine." A male voice spoke off to the side, a voice she recognize though her addled mind couldn't place it right now. "You did fall from a skyscraper and try to plant yourself in solid concert."

"I'd of been a Rose bush for sure."

She giggled deliriously at her own joke.

 _Ha, I can pun too!_

"Was that humor?" The man asked, his face coming into view as he stood above her. He looked nice. Creepy eyes though. "I admit I'm unpracticed at the art, but that seemed a poor attempt."

"Well, sssssorry. I'm kinda..." Her voice trailed off as she spotted the large bloody stain that covered his entire right side. Memory came flooding back to her at the sight.

Torchwick and that crazy girl on the battleship. Cinder and The Dragon atop the CCT. Fighting alongside Pyrrha and Anduriel. The tower falling out from under them.

She remembered.

She jerked up with a gasp.

"You're still bleeding! We have to get you help! Where's Pyrrha? Is she alright? What's going on?!"

"Easy!" He took a step back as she staggered to her feet. "Miss Nikos is unconscious over there. I was just going to check on her when you came around."

"We... ugh, we need to find someone to help you and probably her too. Oh, man I'm so not good at this 'under pressure' thing."

"You're doing fine." He assured her as he strode away.

She noticed how sluggish his movements were. He'd lost a lot of blood, she was honestly surprised he was still standing.

He knelt down next to Pyrrha, Ruby winced when she realized the other girl was half buried in a crater from taking the brunt of the fall. Anduriel moved to pick her up and panic shot through her.

"Don't!" He stopped and looked at her curiously. "If her back or neck are broken moving her would just make it much, much worse. It could kill her. We need to find someone who knows what they're doing to make sure she's stable enough to move."

She expected him to argue, but instead he looked surprised and glanced down at the red haired champion. He pulled his hands back as if burned.

He didn't know? Didn't all hunters have basic trauma training? Maybe he was self taught? Or just... really, really powerful and not a hunter at all?

"What do you suggest, I can't leave her here undefended. The surroundings seem mostly secure, but just one Grimm would be enough to finish her in this state."

Ruby bit her lip. She could go and get help quickly, but he looked ready to collapse as well. If a Grimm pack found them like this...

But they needed help soon or they both might die.

"Ok, umm..." She shifted back and forth with indecision for a moment before steeling herself. "I'm going to go get help. You stay here. Don't move her if you can help it and keep pressure," She grabbed his hand and pressed it onto his own injury ignoring his wince. She cringed in mild panic when blood pooled between her fingers. It was a deep, nasty wound if it was still bleeding this badly. "on that. Try not to move and don't fall asleep. The blood loss could kill you if we don't stop it soon and movement will just make it worse!"

He nodded smartly, sliding down a piece of rubble next to Pyrrha. "I will do my best. Please be quick, Miss Rose."

"Quick's what I do!" She flashed a confident smile, hiding her fears behind bravado and took off at a sprint, putting as much power in her semblance as possible. Their lives were in her hands and she wasn't going to let them down.

* * *

He watched Ruby Rose leave and wondered if Pyrrha Nikos and he would survive until help arrived. He wondered too if that help could assist him at all. He had made this body in their image, but he knew it was flawed. He had not the perception or the skill to make it perfect.

He glanced down at his side. The blood flowing from his shell had slowed, though he didn't know if it was because he was now keeping his hand pressed against it as instructed or because there was simply less blood to lose.

Yet he was satisfied. He had experienced life as these creatures knew it even if only for a brief moment. It was both as he had hoped and nothing like he imagined. New experiences where few and far between for a being like himself. He would gladly pay almost any price for these sensations. At the moment though only one feeling truly held his attention.

He was so tired.

Ruby Rose told him to remain conscious. He would for as long as he could resist, but he knew this shell would force him into darkness eventually. Such was its limitations. He had to remain awake for as long as he could, however, in case anything came for Pyrrha Nikos. She was incapable of defending herself in her current state.

He was shocked at how... breakable these bodies were. The damage to his side seemed superficial to his senses and yet he could not deny it was killing him. Slowly, but surely stealing the life from this body.

If this was all it took for the end to come to this form he had new appreciation for these creatures.

They were brave to be what they are. Brave to stand. Brave to fight. Brave to face tomorrow knowing they were no stronger then the day before.

His only disappointment was that he couldn't destroy Cinder Fall. She did not deserve the world she walked and he desired nothing more then to take it from her. Salem as well. Oh, how he would relish ripping her apart atom by atom. Even subatomic annihilation seemed to kind a fate for that one.

If he survived he would have time to come up with a fitting... punishment.

A pleasing thought.

Regardless, he had kept his promises. The day was won. If none of the other battles had been altered Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long would survive their own encounters.

He had little doubt Ruby Rose would survive the day as well. Only Cinder Fall's associates, Adam Taurus, or a Grimm on par with the dragon were a true threat to her. Those silver eyes held too much power for any base Grimm to face.

He watched the threads of his soul shimmer into reality between himself and Pyrrha Nikos.

 **The Dragon lays dead.**

 **Your friends have survived the battle.**

He watched them break free from their anchor and merge with the fabric of this reality. A tiny part of Pyrrha Nikos' own soul giving the threads the energy required to solidify his own hold on this reality. With every promise fulfilled he became more "real" in this world. When he fulfilled them all... Well, he did not know yet.

The future was no longer decided. The river had shifted and where it now flowed not even he could know.

Pyrrha Nikos was the only one he might have truly failed this day. A bitter thought, considering the effort he had put in to save her life in the first place.

It was out of his grasp now, though. Whether they lived or died rested on the meager powers of these lesser beings. What a humbling thought that his success was entirely beyond his ability to influence.

Still...

He was content with this much.

He was barely holding on. He felt the darkness clawing at the edges of his mind, trying to drag him under. Would he wake up in this form again or was his time already spent?

He did not want it to end like this. There was so much he had yet to experience, but he didn't think he could fight much longer.

Then something reached his failing ears.

"Over here! Please, hurry!"

"You heard the lady MOVE IT!"

Boots crunched on stone. A quick pace drawing closer by the second.

Red roses filled his vision.

He smiled even as the world seemed to grow dim.

Success was always a pleasing feeling.

 **Pyrrha Nikos, the true Fall Maiden, shall survive. Cinder Fall's plan is undone.**

A third strand shimmered and broke free.

Only one promise left. He only hoped he would have the opportunity to fulfill it.

His smile grew slightly as Ruby Rose knelt before him. She was saying something, but it was oddly muted and he could not understand.

He had done enough.

The darkness fell upon him and he welcomed it.

He had grown quite tired of feeling the ache in his side.

* * *

"Anduriel? Anduriel!" Ruby shouted. "Oh, nonono! Please, not like this!"

"Move over." A gruff voice snapped.

She shifted away and began to bounce from foot to foot in a panic. She'd gotten here with help, he couldn't die just as they made it. That wasn't fair! She hadn't even gotten to know him yet!

The Atlas medic, an older man with short cropped greying hair, knelt down and put two fingers to his neck, the other hand hovered in front of the man's mouth.

"Heart's beating and he's breathing, but the pulse is weak. He needs a transfusion stat. Universal donor, no time to check his type." As he stood up several other medics moved forward portable equipment deploying from carry cases. "And someone get that damn wound in his side closed!"

Several Atlas soldier's had taken up postion around them to insure nothing snuck up while they medics worked.

The older soldier, he must of been an officer though she didn't know how to read the insignias on their shoulders, stayed just long enough to ensure his subordinates were doing their jobs right then turned away. He strode toward Pyrrha who already had three more military medics and one civilian doctor around her. Ruby followed him unsure of what she should do other then stay out of the way.

"Report!"

It was the civilian doctor who answered, apparently having taken charge over the less trained medics.

"Five broken ribs, the rest undoubtedly cracked. Broken hip. Several fractures along her legs and arms. Dislocated shoulder. Both shoulder blades fractured. Hairline fracture along the back of her skull. Severe concussion." Ruby's panic skyrocketed as the list of injuries grew. He was fitting a brace of some kind around Pyrrha's neck as he spoke. "The most threatening thing at the moment is her neck, it's cracked though not severed. We have to be very careful moving her."

The soldier snarled, rage in the face of such pain being inflicted on someone so young. "Odds?"

"If she were a civilian she'd have been dead already." The doctor snapped the brace in place and called for a stretcher. "This is Pyrrha Nikos though," to himself he quietly added, "I saw her debut match in Mistral," He shook himself, "She's a huntress. One of the strongest. So long as we keep her stable she'll pull through."

"Right. Keep me updated." He turned to Ruby. "And you!" She jumped to attention which caused him to snort and crack the barest hint of a smile. "At ease. What happened?"

"We..." She swallowed. "We fought the dragon and Cinder. We where on top of the CCT. We won, but the tower collapsed with us still on it. Pyrrha took the fall for me." She chocked slightly as everything finally started catching up to her. "Anduriel must of managed to land alright, he was injured in the fight before the tower came down."

"You three are the ones that killed the dragon?" He seemed surprised, but she was too emotionally drained to be upset over it. She just nodded.

He continued to stared at her for a moment then grabbed his scroll. After a short delay he began talking into it.

"This is Sergeant Major Shocks, I need a priority evac to sector... 53-09. I have the combatants that brought down the omega threat. Two of them are in critical condition and need immediate medical attention." There was a pause and a lot of yelling form the other side. "I don't care! Reroute one or you can explain to General Ironwood that two of the Heroes of Vale died because you didn't want the extra paper work!"

He spun away from her back toward the small group of medics his voice rising in a shout. "Prep for airlift! We have a bullhead inbound to evac the patients to one of the airships!" He spun back and pointed at Ruby. "You're coming with to debrief the General."

She made no argument.

What else could she do?

* * *

 **A/N**

So ends the Battle of Vale.

I think it's safe to say the most dangerous tool at Anduriel's disposal is his voice. Words, applied properly, can cut deeper then any sword and leave wounds that never close. A soul can bleed to death from such injuries.

And for any one wondering: No Anduriel has neither a Semblance nor Aura. His powers would _appear_ that way to someone like Cinder though, as she'd have no other explanation for his abilities. He does have a soul, but it's locked and so massive unlocking it is next to impossible.


	4. Truth and Dare

**The people of this reality continue to surprise me. Not just in how they act, but in what they are capable of. The things they have accomplished I would of never dreamed of had I been in their place. Envy is an odd feeling when one has the power to unmake worlds, yet there it is. Such a humbling notion, knowing that for all I am they have something I lack. More humbling still that they are willing to share their gifts and ask so little in return. Is it kindness? Or simply ignorance?**

* * *

Beep.

Pyrrha awoke to a familiar feeling. A feeling she had hoped to never feel again, yet realistically knew it was almost inevitable in her chosen career.

Beep.

Drug induced lethargy was something a lot of people would be surprised she was familiar with, but one didn't become a championship fighter without plenty of hospital visits. Accidents happened, especially with a semblance like hers. She'd brained herself more then once with flying metal objects.

Beep.

Familiarity didn't make her enjoy the sensation any though. She hated it already. She always hated it ever since the first time she'd been stuck in a hospital for an overnight when she was five. That had been before her aura had been unlocked and she'd fallen out of tree.

Beep.

Her eyes were closed. She didn't want to open them yet. It was enough that she was alive and apparently in a hospital of some kind. As soon as she opened her eyes she knew from experience she wouldn't like what she'd find.

Beep.

"I swear if they don't turn that machine off soon, I shall destroy it."

"They won't. Not until they're sure she's in the clear. Once they are confident her aura has stabilized they'll switch it off."

"It _is_ kinda annoying. Maybe I should smash it?"

"Please don't."

Beep.

Voices. She recognized Ren and Nora's voices easily. She was filled with relief and warmth upon hearing them. She was with friends. They were alive and sounded fine, though Ren sounded tired. Ren always sounded kind of tired, now that she thought about it. That was probably Nora's fault.

The first voice though. She knew that voice too, but she couldn't...

Beep.

Eyes like fire. A blue coat. A deal struck in desperation. A witch, a dragon, and a monster. A soul that had touched her own. Old as stars and vast as the sea.

A soul she now knew like her own.

 _Anduriel._

Something shifted nearby. Cloth and metal. Another bed perhaps?

Beep.

"She's awake, Mr. Arc."

"Pyrrha?"

Her eyes snapped open. "Jaune?" She tried to move and started panicking when she realized she couldn't. She couldn't even turn her neck! Oh no, was she paralyzed?!

"Whao! Easy, Pyrrha!" His face moved into her vision. "You're pretty much a mummy right now, don't try moving."

Mummy? She paused and focused on feeling her body. She did feel like she was covered in stuffing at the moment rather than a bedsheets. That she could feel the sensation at all meant she likely wasn't crippled which was a relief.

She barely suppressed a groaned of despair when the realization hit her. A full body cast. She'd be in here for at least a week even with aura healing her.

Beep.

Oh gods, it was already starting to itch!

"Hi, Jaune." She managed to smile up at his face.

"Hi, yourself." He responded with a smile of his own. A smile that turned into a frown. "You threw me in a locker."

"Uh heh." She tried to look away a failed for obvious reasons. She settled for rolling her eyes toward the ceiling instead and keeping them there. "You remember that do you?"

 _Of course he did, stupid._

"Of course I do." He scowled down at her. His arms crossed over his chest.

Someone snickered off to the side. Female, but not Nora.

"Uhhh, who else is here?"

"Everyone."

"Everyone?" Her voice slid into an embarrassed squeak.

"Everyone."

Beep.

"Hi, Pyrrha." She heard Ruby call. "I'm glad you're awake." There was a pause. "And alive."

She was too now that she thought about it. Especially, since she really would have been dead had some eldritch god thing not decided to interfere. Though she would of avoided this situation had she died.

 _Oh, this is so embarrassing._

"You threw me in a locker," Jaune repeated, "and launched it into Vale."

He sounded remarkably unimpressed with her at the moment.

"I'm sorry?" It came out as an unsure whimper. Her voice even cracked.

She was red as her hair she was sure.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Uh huh."

"I... well, that is to say..." She struggled for words for a moment then looked up at Jaune. "I was trying to protect you?"

The other eyebrow rose to join the first and gave her a once over. Any other time she would have been thrilled. Right now... not so much.

"That worked out well didn't it."

It wasn't a question. The sarcasm in his voice was so thick she could of cut it with Milo.

Someone gave a deep chuckle off to her right. "The best intentions lead right to the Grimm, girly."

Another male voice, one she didn't recognize at all.

"I...uummm..." Then she paused again. Anduriel was to her left. Jaune implied all the members of team RWBY and JNPR were there. Who was this? "Jaune how... how many people are in this room?"

"Twelve."

"Wha... but, but who is...?"

"Qrow Branwen. I'm Ruby and Yang's uncle."

"O-oh... well it's nice to meet-"

Beep.

"That is it!" Anduriel practically snarled off to her left. Jaune looked up with quickly widening eyes and disappeared from sight. She heard several people moving at once.

"Sir, please." She heard Ren saying quietly from the same direction.

"Hey, hey!" Ruby shouted, her voice traveling toward that side of the room. "You don't get to move. Doctors orders."

"Then someone get that bossy, boring woman in hear to turn it off! It's an assault upon my senses every time it-!"

Beep.

The deep growl that emanated from his direction didn't sound entirely human.

"Screw it." She heard Mr Branwen sigh. "I'll get it."

"I'll ask both of you to kindly not touch Atlas property."

"It's driving us all up the wall, Ice Queen. She's awake, so she's fine. Just turn it off before the guy rips out of his lines to smash it."

"Fine. Let me handle it." Heels clicked across the floor. "Honestly, it's barely even audible."

"Then you need to get your hearing checked, Miss Schnee,"Anduriel groused, "Your ears clearly aren't working properly."

Ignoring what appeared to be a mostly friendly argument she tried to get someone to answer her questions. "Jaune?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Sheesh, your friend's a little crazy."

"You mean Anduriel?"

Jaune's face reentered her vision from the other side, he'd apparently moved to help restrain the man in question. "Yeah, I mean he's wired up with all these tubes and stuff and he just tried to rip them all out to smash your heart monitor."

"It's a vital monitor actually." The woman Ruby and Yang's uncle had called Ice Queen spoke, voice practically right next to her. "It monitors a verity of vital signs including heart beat, blood pressure, breathing, and aura levels."

"Over complicated Atlas tech at it's finest." Mr. Branwen snarked.

"It's off now." The woman said then muttered darkly to herself as she strode away.

"Qrow, come on," This had to be the final person who had yet to speak if Jaune's count was to be believed. Male, but it was lighter sounding though also tinged with exhaustion, "this is a medical room and you're making the kids uncomfortable."

"Shut it Tai and let me rib the Ice Queen in peace. I don't get the opportunity often enough and I could use the stress relief right now." There was a sound of metal scrapping against metal.

"Really Qrow? Here?"

"What? If anyone ever needs booze it's people in hospitals."

She couldn't stop her eyes rolling at that.

"Your uncle is a prat." It was a stage whisper from off to the right, Weiss she was sure.

"He helped raise us. Trust me I know." And that was Yang. Judging by the shifting sounds from her right she was also bed ridden at the moment. She didn't sound like herself either, not just tired, but despondent.

Then she remembered what Anduriel had told her about Yang's battle. Her friend had lost an arm. Tears stung her eyes though she blinked them away.

"Jaune?" She whispered afraid that if she spoke louder her voice would crack again. "Is... is everyone alright?"

Jaune's expression was complicated. Part relief and part pain. He straightened to look around the room, but stayed in her sight. "Mostly." He finally said and looked back down at her. "You, Yang, and the crazy guy are the only ones in beds at any rate. Ruby was for a few hours, but they let her up while ago."

"What... what happened?" She knew of course. Anduriel had told her, but now it felt so much more real. That made it all the more painful to think about.

"Well... uh..."

"Blake's ex tried to kill her and cut off my arm when I got in the way." It was a flat response, filled with misery, but there was still a somewhat joking tilt to it.

"I told you," Blake's somber voice sighed, "Adam isn't... what are you doing?!"

Something shifted on the bed to her right. Jaune disappeared again and more people moved.

"Yang!" The man she thought Qrow had called Tai gasped in alarm.

Bed springs squeaked and something began to shuffle across the floor.

"I'm fine, dad." The girl in question grumbled.

Yang's father? Then Ruby's too, unless they shared a mother instead. She'd never asked now that she thought about it.

"Yang?" She really wished she could look around.

A moment later her vision was obscured by long blond hair as Yang leaned over her like Jaune had. Her sight fell to her friend's right arm. Or where it had once been. The limb ended in bandages just above the elbow. Tears filled Pyrrha's eyes as she looked back to the lilac ones above her.

"Hi." Yang said quietly her own eyes welling up.

"Hi." Pyrrha whispered back unsure of what else to say.

The other girl smiled slightly. "We really screwed up, didn't we?"

"Yeah." She smiled sadly up at the blond. "I guess so."

"So, much for being the badasses, huh?"

She actually giggled, a few tears escaping despite her effort to stop them. "I suppose this does poke a few holes in our reputations, doesn't it?"

"A few holes?" Yang snickered. Pyrrha was relieved to hear it. "We've been shot _full_ of holes. Our reputations are sinking ships and not even _Ruby_ would be naive enough try to save them at this point."

"Hey!" Yang ignored Ruby's indignation with practiced ease.

She leaned in closer as if imparting some great secret and stage whispered."But hey, maybe we can call ourselves saints now, because we're so _holey_. Ehhh?"

Despite how terrible the pun was she couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. A real laugh. Yang grinned back, a shadow of the cocky look she normally had, but brighter then the small smile a moment ago.

"Oh, oh gods no don't make me laugh. Everything hurts when I do." She forced herself down to just giggles. Then sighed in relief when she managed to stop.

"I'm glad you're alive." Yang said simply.

Pyrrha smiled up at her. "I'm glad you are too."

"And kiss."

"Really, Qrow?"

Yang's eyes flickered red and she glared over her shoulder at her uncle. She glanced back at her with an apologetic look.

"Just ignore my uncle, ok? He has a pathological disorder that requires him to ruin everything." She vanished from sight and shuffled back toward her own bed which by the sound of it she flopped into without much preamble. "Why do you have to be such an ass?"

"I have condition."

"What would you have done if I _had_ kissed her?" The question made Pyrrha's face start to heat up, but she giggled slightly despite herself.

"Probably have spite my drink all over."

"Gross."

"Where are we?" She asked anyone who cared to answer.

She thought it was a hospital, but they wouldn't of put so many of them in the same place if that was the case. Perhaps a medical camp of some kind, but then she would of expected to hear far more people around them.

"You are currently on board a Spear II Atlesian Airship, Command Format." Winter Schnee answered smoothly. "An Atlas medical team was led to your location by Ruby Rose and they called in an bullhead when it became obvious they couldn't handle your injuries in the field."

"You mean when they found out who they were," Qrow said smugly, "and figured they didn't want to risk a couple of dead heroes on their hands."

The older woman growled quietly.

"Heroes?"

"Oh yeah," This was Jaune who leaned back into her vision. "Everyone pretty much knows you, Ruby, and uh... Anduriel brought down the dragon. It was all over the news stations and radio. Mostly you and Ruby though, he's just 'a unnamed huntsman' because nobody knew his name."

"Propaganda to keep the civs from drawing more Grimm." Qrow muttered sarcastically. "Gotta keep the rainbows and sparkles up."

"True propaganda in this case." Anduriel said smugly. "We did indeed kill the dragon."

"Fair enough."

"So what's everyone else doing here?" Then rushed to clarify. "Not that I'm not glad, it just seems a little odd."

A door nearby opened followed by the sound of boots walking across the floor.

"That would be because I had them brought here once we confirmed you and Ruby's identity, Miss Nikos." The voice was a man's professional and curt. "I figured you'd be more comfortable if your team was with you and I didn't need them invading my command ship just to ensure your health."

"General Ironwood, sir." Weiss' sister spoke curtly.

Pyrrha paused. James Ironwood? Ozpin's friend?

"At ease, Specialist Schnee."

"Jimmie."

"Qrow."

"Hello, James."

"Taiyang, good to see you." Ironwood sighed. "I wish it was in better circumstance."

"Yeah, me too."

Qrow grunted and asked. "How bad is it?"

The General took a deep breath and sighed again. "We aren't sure yet. As they say 'better then I'd feared, worse then I'd hoped.' Civilian causalities seem to have been kept to a minimum even with the Paladin's going out of control simply because of the concentration of soldiers and hunters on the ground, but..." He took another breath. "We should discuss this later, we don't need to stress the students, especially those recovering."

"Right."

"I'll try to keep this brief so you can get back to recovering, Miss Nikos." The man came close enough so she could see him looking down at her. He was stern looking, but there was no malice in his face. "We need to know who your friend here is, where he came from, and how he is involved in this. Miss Rose has told us what she can, but beyond the fact he was already engaged in battle alongside you when she arrived and possesses some quiet frankly unbelievable powers despite not having any aura we can detect, she knows little. Your cohort refuses to elaborate."

 _Anduriel?_

 **I did not know how you would want to handle this. I felt it better to leave it to you to tell them what you will. The truth or a lie, it matters little to me.**

She wasn't the least bit surprised he responded in her head. Did hearing voices make you crazy if the voice was real?

 _You wouldn't care if I told them the truth?_

 **No. Should I? Their opinions mean nothing to me. Know I will collaborate whatever you decide to tell them.**

So it was up to her. She could try to spin some tall tale about how he was an old friend or teacher or something of the like.

Or she could tell them the truth.

She closed her eyes.

"Miss Nikos?"

She looked up at the General, a man Professor Ozpin had trusted. Someone who had sworn to protect the Kingdoms, all of them, from a monster hidden in the shadows.

Despite his stern face his eyes looked tired and sad.

He was the Professor's friend.

And now his friend was dead, killed trying to protect her.

Someone owed him the truth.

She swallowed. "You may want to find a chair, Sir." She said quietly. "This won't be easy to believe."

* * *

In a dark castle far in the Grimm Lands Cinder Fall sat at a table in a great hall. She had been here many times before of course, it was her Mistress' table. Her Mistress' other servants had joined them, so she coulnd't even keep her failure to herself, but she dared not complain.

She dared not even look up.

"One man," The voice was calm, dark, and sensual, "turned the tide of battle," she would have preferred rage, at least it wouldn't leave her wondering if she was to be punished or not, "Killed the dragon, a Grimm nearly as old as myself, and inflicted the injures that still refuse to close upon you. Is that right?"

"Yes, Mistress." She spoke clearly, but she couldn't keep the waver from her voice.

 _She will be disappointed won't she?_

Her eyes clamped shut.

 _Be quiet._

 _Does that scare you, Cinder Fall?_

 _Yes._

It scared her more then anything else.

"Look at me Cinder." She did no matter how much she didn't want to. Her eyes met her Mistresses black and red orbs. "You said you killed Ozpin."

"I did." She shivered as those eyes narrowed. "It was not Ozpin, Mistress."

"Then who was this man."

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

She did cringed now. "No."

Watt's snorted in disgust off to the side, but she dared not look away from the woman before her.

Salem silenced him with a glance before turning her attention back to her. "Describe him. In detail."

"Tall, between 1.8 to 2 meters. Black hair, shoulder length. Clothing mostly blue and black with silver highlights."

"Oohh, sounds fetching, ehehehe."

"Tyrian."

"Forgive me, Mistress!"

"His eyes..." She swallowed and Salem's attention focused back on her.

"What about them."

"They were like a cats, but..." She shook her head. "But they were wrong. Red sclera and yellow irises."

"So he was a faunus." Watt's said flatly. "That isn't-"

Her head snapped around to glare at him. "He was no Faunus. No animal has those eyes. No living thing has those eyes!" She looked back toward her Mistress, trying to stress how unnatural the man had been. "I don't know what he was."

Hazel finally spoke. "Perhaps it's related to his semblance?"

"If it is I have no idea how." She shook her head. "He seemed to be able to... to bend reality to his will."

Watt's scoffed.

"I know how ridiculous that sounds!" She turned and snarled at the man. "But I can think of no other explanation for what he did! He waved his hand and the world changed! He made blades from air so sharp they cut through Grimm armor and Aura like nothing! He moved from place to place without moving at all! I have no idea what his power is, but it-!"

A pair of pale hands settled on her shoulders and she went stiff as a board. "Calm yourself."

"M-Mistress, I..."

"Breath." The most dangerous woman on the planet whispered to her. She did as instructed exhaling raggedly. "Good."

The chair was turned around and she found herself looking into her Mistress' eyes so close she could see little else. They stared at each other for a few moments then Salem blinked in surprise.

"He scared you." It was a simple statement, but it held so much weight. "You are frightened of this man."

"I..." She swallowed then nodded. "He knew. He knew everything. He knew me. He knew Emerald. He knew Mercury. He knew our pasts and our plans. And he knew you."

There was a collective intact of breath.

"Are you sure?"

"He mentioned you by name." She swallowed again. "He told me to give you a message."

Salem's eyes began to glow slightly. "What did he tell you, Cinder?"

"To- to tell you hello and that he couldn't wait to meet you in person."

Her Mistress stared at her for a moment then turned toward Emerald.

"Miss Sustrai."

Emerald jumped at being addressed and looked down at the floor. "Ye-yes, ma'am?"

"Use your semblance on me, show me what this man looks like."

"Of, of course, ma'am."

* * *

Salem paused as the illusion touched her, she could resist it of course, but she allowed it affect her. The child indicated off to her left, away from the table. Likely haven chosen the spot so she could inspect it up close.

She turned to face the illusion. It was indeed a man much as Cinder had described to her. She did not however, mention how eerie the person seemed. Perhaps it was merely Emerald's own recollection, she had been held hostage and badly injured by him after all, but he appeared...

Inhuman. Flawed almost. Like something chiseled from stone rather then born of flesh and blood. He was quite off putting with that alone, but just as Cinder said it was his eyes that grasped her attention.

Blood red and yellow, similar to a Grimm's eye, yet alien. The were not a man's eyes. Not at all.

She approached the image and circled it. Beyond his... oddness he seemed quiet unremarkable though that in itself could be dangerous. The hidden blade was the deadliest after all.

She turned to command the Sustrai girl to show the image to her other servants when all of them jumped to their feet weapons drawn, knocking over chairs and up ending drinks. The sheer suddenness of the combined movement almost made her kill them all on pure reaction, but their focus was beyond her.

She turned back around curiously and every muscle in her body tensed in alarm.

The image of the man was gone, in it's place was a girl. A girl that everyone in the room could apparently see. Something Sustrai's semblance was incapable of.

Long red hair tied in a pony tail, pale skin, golden armor. She was quite pretty all things considered. Salem knew this one, she had been in Cinder's reports as the most likely candidate for the next Fall Maiden.

Pyrrha Nikos.

Yet this was not Pyrrha Nikos, for the girl in question had stunning green eyes.

Not unnatural red and yellow cat eyes.

The image was staring right at her, unmoving, but also far more focused then a mere illusion should be.

"Ma'am, please step away from-" Watt's cut off as she raised a hand to him.

Then it moved. She tensed ready to lash out and destroy if she felt the slightest bit of hostility.

The image of the demon-eyed girl reached up toward her face.

" **We."**

It's voice was multiphonic and echoed oddly. It's fingers moved to touch her cheek, an action no living thing had ever dared before.

" **See."**

It touched her. Actual physical contact. Not an illusion. Not a projection. The thing's warmth pressed gently against the side of her face. A gesture that would have seemed fond in any other situation.

" **You."**

It leaned forward as if to kiss her, but whatever it was going to do never happened. She lashed out with one arm like a sword swing and caught the thing just above the waist. It ripped in half, but instead of the shower of blood and innards she had expected it erupted into a swirl of glimmering, twisting light and simply faded from sight.

A phantasmal giggle flitted through the room, it would have been inaudible had it not been so deathly quiet they all could of heard a pin drop.

No one moved. She wasn't even sure any one had dared to breath.

"Tyrian." She said calmly into that silence.

"Yes, my goddess?"

"Find him." She turned to look at the faunus. Her eyes blazed with red light. "Bring him to me."

* * *

"Sooo..." Jaune drew out in the stunned silence. "He's a weird demon god thing that can control time and space?"

Pyrrha paused as if unsure of herself. "Yes?"

Jaune saw the General palm his face and mutter. "So much for brief."

"I'm no god." The thing that called itself Anduriel finally spoke, his eyes opening. He'd look asleep while Pyrrha talked, apparently content to let her explain everything. "Merely a being of a higher order and my control is limited, especially in this form."

"That still sounds like a god to me." Ruby's Uncle pointed out sarcastically. "Provided we believe any of this. Personally, I'm now thinking I'm blackout drunk and all this is a haze dream."

Qrow reached into his pocket and pulled out his hip flask, he could tell both Yang and Weiss' sister were about to snap at him, but then the world...

It bent. He had no other idea how to describe it even in his own head. The world bent and Anduriel was holding Qrow's booze.

For a moment nobody breathed.

"That's mine." Qrow said in a dead voice. "And I'm going to need a lot more of it now."

The... the creature in the bed looked the flask over. "What exactly is the purpose of drinking this poison?"

"To forget shit like this."

"Hmmm." He causally chucked the thing toward the window only for the world to twist again. They all stared as the flask appeared outside the view port and quickly disappeared from sight. "I believe you've had enough."

Qrow just looked around in obvious disbelief before focusing on Anduriel again. "Fuck you, bud. You owe me a new hip flask."

Ruby giggled. It sounded just a tiny bit strained.

The "man" turned to regard General Ironwood. "I believe you will find my physiology is markedly different from a normal human or faunus. This body is a facsimile, I did the best I could on it, but I have not the skill or perception to create a perfect copy. Your forms are simply too complex for that, but it should collaborate what Miss Nikos has told you."

"We've already noted your... differences."

"What did I do wrong, if I may ask? I am most curious."

Ironwood looked a little ill. "Several minor organs missing, as well as some of the vascular system. Your nervous system is also, well 'rudimentary' and 'primitive' were the words the doctors used. Your muscles are many times the density of a normal person's and shouldn't work at all given everything else about your body. To be blunt, on the outside you're nearly a perfect copy, but inside you barely look human or faunus."

"Ah. A total failure then." He sighed. "How disappointing."

Ren spoke up for the first time, cringing only slightly as the "man's" unnatural eyes turned to him. "What exactly was the deal Pyrrha made with you?"

"Five objectives, four of which I have already achieved in the battle. In payment I asked entrance to your world. She accepted."

"What were the terms exactly." Weiss's sister, Winter, growled. "If your promises hold you like a contract that you must enact then the wording is everything."

It was Pyrrha who answered. "'I will save you from this fate, I will guarantee your comrades survive this day, I will stop the current machinations Cinder Fall, I will destroy the Grimm Dragon, and I will aid you until such a time as you choose to release me or your quest against the Darkness that plaques this world is over. In return I ask entrance to your world, granted fairly and without rescission. Should I break my vows so too shall I depart this world once more.' Those were his words exactly. It's burned into my mind clear as day."

Winter and Weiss both took deep hissing breaths. Ironwood turned to regard the sisters.

"Problem?"

"He's set himself free reign if he ever completes all his promises or if Pyrrha ever releases him." Weiss answered. "The only thing keeping him in check right now is his dependence on Pyrrha. Once his promises are fulfilled he'd be free to do whatever he wants. She can't even call the contract off, the only breaking clause is if he tries to betray her."

All eyes turned back to him. The older hunters in the room all tensed.

"Obviously. Is it too much to ask I have the same freedoms as you do." He looked condescending. "That was the entire purpose of my coming here."

"The difference is that we can't rewrite reality on a whim." Ruby and Yang's father pointed out. "And that we are beholden to the law." Qrow snorted. "Mostly beholden to the law."

"I cannot rewrite reality. I can imprint minor alterations to dimensional space and..." He stopped at their blank faces. "I can bend things. I can also create localized event horizons to slow or halt time. The Schnees here have more control of time then I do technically, I just have a great deal more power and a better comprehension of the concept. The advantage of existing at a higher order. Most of my other 'abilities' are merely interactions your mind can't conceive in full."

"What's that even mean?" Yang groused rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Layman's terms please, I'm not a science geek."

He glowered at her over Pyrrha's bed. "You understand the principal of dimensional space, yes?" Yang gave him a flat look which caused him to sigh. "You, Yang Xiao Long, exist in three dimensions. This gives you six degrees of freedom, one for both position and velocity in each dimensional space you inhabit. That is the totality of your existence. Everything you, or any being like you, ever does will always be within those six freedoms. Do you follow so far?"

"Kaaaaay?" She rolled her eyes. "What does that have to do with-"

"I exist in twelve dimensions and thus have twenty-four degrees of freedom."

Dead silence.

"I see the implications are not lost on you." The words were smug. Jaune didn't blame him. "Much of what I am you simply cannot perceive naturally. Even with the most advanced technology of your kind you would be able to pick up maybe two more of my dimensions of being. I am, to be blunt, _more_ then you are. I can interact with the world with a greater degree of freedom."

He looked at the ceiling contemplatively as if searching for the proper words to explain the idea. "What you would see as 'powers' or 'abilities' are the equivalent of you picking up a rock and throwing it. What makes it look like a 'power' to you is the fact that you can only see the rock, not the limb I'm using to move it."

They let that sink in for a moment before anyone spoke. Surprisingly it was Blake.

"That doesn't explain everything." The quiet girl stated.

"Indeed, Miss Nikos said you knew of her past," Ironwood pointed out, "and the future. How is that possible?"

"I knew the original time stream this world would take. From the outside looking in it's as obvious as a river. Close observation let me distinguish details. I know all of your pasts to some degree." It looked around the room. "And I know of the original future to an extent. I never wandered far from the fracture, however. Once I found it I wasn't willing to risk losing it."

"But you don't know the future any more." Ren spoke confidently. Jaune was glad someone was keeping up with all this. "Do you?"

"I do not." Anduriel shook his head. "I knew the time stream up to the fracture and enough beyond it to provide relevant information to allow Pyrrha to make a her choice-"

"To sway her to your deal you mean?" Qrow growled.

"If you choose to see it that way, then yes." He glared at the man, his irises focusing into slits. "Regardless that future is gone. In it Pyrrha Nikos is ashes, Ruby Rose is comatose, the dragon sits atop Beacon, and the Grimm lay standing siege to Vale."

"So, wait," Ruby waved her hands, "Why can't you just look at the time river whatsit again? That way we'd know what we're up against."

"Because he's part of the river now." Weiss said confidently. "The whole point of his deal with Pyrrha was to become part of our world. You've become part of our time-stream and can't observe it like you did the first time, right?"

"That is correct." He actually smiled proudly at the her. "Well done, Miss Schnee."

Weiss blinked and shuffled awkwardly, but she still smiled slightly.

Nobody had anything to add to that and the room descended into strained silence as everyone digested what they'd just learned. It was a lot to take in and for once he was confident he wasn't the only one not getting the whole thing. Super science was a little beyond him.

Jaune looked down at Pyrrha who looked more frightened and anxious then he had ever seen her. He caught her eye and when she looked up at him he smiled as reassuringly as he could.

Then something hit him. "You said you didn't go far from the fracture." He pointed out. "It was the fight, wasn't it? Why? What was special about the fight between Cinder and Pyrrha?"

Anduriel hesitated for a moment. "It presented a unique opportunity. Normally, there are four guardians of this world. Gatekeepers if you will. You call them Maidens and their presence keeps creatures like me from simply strolling into your reality. All universes have a similar system."

He waved a hand toward Pyrrha. "Miss Nikos is the true Fall Maiden, chosen by the powers of this world to hold the title. Yet Miss Fall has usurped that power for her own. In doing so she has spread the power thin and weakened the gates. This resulted in 'cracks,' cracks that worsened when the power of the Fall Maiden clashed with itself. It was enough for me to get my foot in the door, so to speak."

"Enough for you to offer a deal to one of the Maidens." Ironwood whispered. "You could of spoken to any of them couldn't you? You had five options."

"Yes."

Jaune frowned and looked down at his partner. She looked back helplessly. "Why Pyrrha though?"

Anduriel shrugged. "I like Miss Nikos."

It was such a bland statement that it brought everyone up short.

"EEHHH?!"

"What?" He glanced around like he thought they were all imbeciles. "Would you offer your services to someone you thought repugnant? Miss Nikos was the only one of the Maiden's, fake or otherwise, I was willing to offer a deal to."

"That..." He couldn't help, but laugh. "You offered her anything she wanted just because you like her more then the other Maidens?"

"Obviously." He spat the word out. "If I simply wanted access to your world either Miss Fall or the Spring Maiden would have been the surest route. I'm sure either of them would have been thrilled to have access to my power."

Everyone in the room paled slightly at the thought of this creature siding with their already overwhelming powerful enemies.

"Still," Taiyang muttered, "What a thing to gamble the world on. What would you have done had she asked to rule the world?"

"Done my best to give it to her." Anduriel response was flat. "Though such a thing would have been a surprise given her personality."

General Ironwood nodded apparently satisfied with the answer, though he looked no less comfortable with the idea that something so mundane had essentially kept a god from helping their foes.

"What exactly about the other Maiden's do you dislike?" He asked more out of curiosity then anything else.

"The Summer and Winter Maidens bore me." It was a bland response and he waved away their disbelief. "They live their lives in fortresses that keep them safe and I would rather not be tethered to such a thing. The Spring Maiden is, much like Cinder Fall, a parasite that lives off the strength of others and takes what she does not deserve. I would likely kill her in disgust if I was force to spend more then a few hours in her presence."

"What do you mean by that?" Ironwood pointed at Anduriel. "The Spring Maiden vanished years ago. You know where she is?"

"With a bandit tribe in the Grimm Lands. I do not know their exact location."

Mr. Branwen pinched the bridge of his nose. "Tell me it's not the tribe I'm thinking of."

"It's not the tribe you're thinking of."

"You're a crap liar, you know that?"

"My apologies."

The Spring Maiden was a bandit in the Grimm Lands and Mr. Branwen apparently knew them. Jaune filed that bit of information away. Never knew when stuff like that might come in handy. He caught Ren's eye and the other boy nodded slightly.

"At least she's well protected then. Anyone who lives in the wilds has to be strong."

Anduriel's leaned back as his entire face twisted into a disgusted sneer. "They are powerful warriors, yes, but they live as beasts and are incapable of surviving without taking from others. As I said they are parasites."

"Sounds about right." Qrow muttered darkly.

While the adults continues to interrogate the bed ridden god/monster Jaune glanced down at Pyrrha.

"You alright?" He asked quietly.

She blinked and smiled up at him. "As well as I can be."

"Pyrrha," He said more forcefully.

His partner flinched. "No." She admitted. "No, I'm not alright. It all just happened so fast and... and now he's here and I don't know if that's good or bad or... " She closed her eyes. "I should be dead, Jaune. It's how things are meant to be. Maybe it'd be better if I was."

"Don't say that!" He snarled. Her eyes snapped open and she stared up at him with wide eyes. "Don't even think it." He said more gently then grinned weakly. "No matter what he is he saved you. That makes him alright in my book." Damnit he was so bad at these things. "If you dying was destiny, well maybe destiny should go screw itself. You're alive, nothing else matters to me."

"But... but what if..?"

He put a finger to her lips to stop her. "No 'buts' or 'what ifs.' If I had the choice to save you or keep whatever future Anduriel saw, I'd have traded that future for you in a heart beat." He nodded to himself. "Besides you can't just kiss a guy and run off, that isn't fair."

Pyrrha's eyes grew huge and she began to turn a very interesting shade of neon red.

"Well, well I uhhh..." She stammered and looked any place except at him. It was bizarrely hilarious considering she was so wrapped in casts she couldn't even move.

"That was my first kiss too, just so you know. Not exactly how I imagined it playing out, but I'm not complaining."

She giggled, sounding a tiny bit hysteric, but looked back up at him. "I umm, you, you see. I uhhh..."

He waited a moment as she stuttered and panicked. He had the distinct feeling that if she could she'd be running from him right now. He'd been thinking about that kiss ever since the doctors confirmed she was in the clear.

Not that he'd had much time to think.

It suddenly occurred to him the room seemed very quiet. He looked around and froze when he realized every eye was on them. Most looked vaguely amused. Nora was bouncing in place and pulling on Ren's arm in excitement. Weiss was looking at the ceiling and shaking her head in disbelief while her sister remained impassive beyond the tiniest upturn of her lips. Ruby had a huge smile with her hands clasped beneath her chin. Qrow flashed him a thumbs up.

It was Yang's shit eating grin that let him know exactly how much he'd just screwed up. They would literally never hear the end of this, he could tell.

"Sooooo," She drawled out, her voice freezing Pyrrha who hadn't noticed the quiet yet, "How was that kiss, lover boy? Details, details! She taste like strawberries? Oh, oh was there tongue?"

 _Oh, gods no!_

"Anduriel, please kill me now." Pyrrha whimpered.

"And deprive myself of all this amusement?" Came the smug response. "I think not."

* * *

 **A/N**

Alright a couple things before people call me out on them.

1) But Glitch in cannon Yang falls apart after losing her arm.

A: That wasn't just because she lost her arm. Let's list all the shit that went wrong for Yang. 1) Lost her arm 2) Pyrrha one of her friends, dies 3) Ruby's in a coma 4) Weiss gets more or less kidnapped and there's nothing she can do about it and 5) Blake, pretty much her best friend, runs off without saying anything.

That's a landslide of emotional gut punches, two of which (Pyrrha's death and Blake seemingly abandoning her) are nearly as bad as losing that arm. In this story the only one of those things that happens is the arm. Pyrrha lives, Weiss and Blake both get snagged by Ironwood before either can leave Vale, and Ruby didn't use her eyes so she's still up and around. The combined emotional support is enough to keep her from entering full blown depression.

2) But Glitch Anduriel sounds op!

A) He is. He's essentially a god in mortal body, no matter what he says. He's still limited by that body and by his own lacking understanding of the world, but that's pretty much it. The story was essentially conceived as a "what if a friendly neighborhood Nyarlathotep showed up in RWBY." Direct confrontation is not something that will ever work on old Andy unless he's vastly outnumbered. If you fight him head on you WILL lose, but he's arrogant (in his own way) and tends to underestimate mortals (why shouldn't he?) and he's also stuck in one place (around Pyrrha) which means he can be out maneuvered. He's an near invulnerable bulwark of power, but nothing says you have to bring down the walls to conqueror a castle.

3) BUT GLITCH WHY NO KISS!

A) YOU HAVE NOT SUFFERED ENOUGH FOR A KISS!

Besides I would of made Yang and Pyrrha kiss if only so Yang could be a troll. Hmm, is there a name for a Yang/Pyrrha ship? It's probably something dumb like Pyrrhang. Everything in this fandom has a dumb name. Every time someone mentions "Bumblebee" and "WhiteRose" as "Shipmates" I always think "Does this result in foursomes? Because we all know how much bees like flowers."

And now you will never unthink that. Victory is mine.


	5. Problems, Plans, and Peculiar Patients

**Empathy is the greatest tool of a sapient mind. Those without it are beasts no matter their intellect or power. Yet it is a double edged sword and can easily be exploited. Trust, offered blindly, can bring far worse then death.**

* * *

He remained silent as he watched them interact. These creatures so different from himself. He knew not why they fascinated him so. They were, technically so far beneath him they should be almost unnoticeable. Other creatures of his magnitude regularly eradicated realities like this one purely by accident they were so insignificant in the greater scheme of things. They existed for the merest blink of an eye, then they simply were no more. Such an existence should have been inconsequential to him.

Yet it wasn't.

They held his attention like few things did. Like shadows they shifted and changed so rapidly he could barely keep track. The result of so short an existence he supposed. Change was a necessary adaptation when you could only cling to life for a few dozen passes around some paltry little ball of nuclear fire.

How did they not despair at such a life? Surely they knew of their limited time. So how could they act so carefree? Yes, they had avoided oblivion's jaws this day, but it would find them eventually. It was inevitable.

So how? How could they smile and laugh and talk as if nothing was wrong?

He had watched many realities come and go. He had quietly observed many universes be born, age, and die. Within them creatures like those before him always flourish. He never understood them.

At first he thought them foolish. That they simply did not recognize their fates. Yet that had proven incorrect. Time and time again he watched as individuals, species, and entire realities stood in proud defiance of the end. They fought and struggled against the closure of their time even knowing full well it was inevitable.

Why? How? He did not know. He could not find the answer by observing from the outside.

So he had come to a conclusion. They had something he did not. Some piece of understanding he lacked. How could they not if they faced their own limited existence with courage and hope.

What let them look into the inevitable end and respond with anything other then surrender?

He had to know.

So for ages he had sought a way into one of these realities. Hidden in these small sealed pockets of the void was an answer. One he wanted if only so he could at last understand.

Yet here he was and he was no closer to an answer.

Not that he regretted this. The short span of time he had existed in this reality had so far been some of the most entertaining he had ever experienced. The pace these creatures set was spastic, but that was part of their charm. They moved quick, thought quick, and acted quick. They simply didn't have time to do anything less and he was forcefully drawn into their pace.

He appreciated the change.

Now they had turned their attention to him and he was braced to be bombarded with questions from a pack of curious youths. The adults had all left to "discuss current events." He was thankful for that, the young ones were mostly just curious, but the older huntsmen were outright suspicious of him.

Not that he blamed them.

"So," Yang Xiao Long drawled drawing his attention back to the present. "What do you really look like? You're not human looking right?"

She was still missing her limb as James Ironwood had not yet presented her prosthetic. He noted she seemed to be in much higher spirits then in the original time line. He wondered what contributed to that. Was it Pyrrha Nikos' survival or merely the fact that her team was still whole? The combination perhaps?

He wondered too about how she would react to the replacement limb in this state. She had denied it at first, until circumstance had forced her to use it. Perhaps it would be different this time.

He considered how to answer the girl's question. It was difficult to put a being like himself into a description that fit into a mere three dimensions. He decided on a relatively accurate summation.

"I am not humanoid in appearance normally, no. Have you ever seen a gravity bound system of stars, Miss Xiao Long?"

She blinked. "Ok, I understood all of the words in that sentence, but I have no idea what you just asked."

"A galaxy." Weiss Schnee answered. "He's asking if you've ever seen a picture of a galaxy."

"Oh. No, pretty sure I haven't."

He resisted the urge to exhale in disappointment. "That would be the best metaphor to my true self you would understand."

Shock radiated from those assembled in the room. They seemed truly alarmed by the description. Was it somehow offensive? He reviewed the language he had used, but found no overtly insulting phrase.

"Wait." Ruby Rose waved her hands around frantically. "You're a living galaxy?! Like a bunch of stars and planets and stuff?"

"No, that's merely the best comparison I can draw in this reality." They seemed to relax a little. "A galaxy is a relatively minor thing compared to my full being. It merely posses similar characteristics that would give you a decent visual reference."

And just like that the shock returned. How odd. He reviewed his word choice _again_ and still found nothing worthy of note.

Clarification was required.

"What did I say that's so alarming?"

"Uh, hello?" Ruby Rose gushed. "You basically just said you're bigger then a _galaxy_."

"Technically, such physical properties are only possible within realities like this one. I'm not bound by such concepts."

"So you're energy then." Lie Ren spoke quietly. "Something like a sentient nebula? Or at least that would be the best we can understand it."

He mentally compared their energy theorems to himself. It was a decent idea though lacking depth. He doubted they would find a concept that came closer to his true state of being though.

"That's a fair descriptor." He nodded to the human. "Though again, far from the whole picture."

"Creepy." Blake Bellodonna whispered to Weiss Schnee. He ignored it since it was suppose to be too quiet for him to hear. He felt it would be rude to ask her to clarify. The white haired human merely shrugged.

"Why the curiosity about my appearance?" He asked Yang Xiao Long.

He saw no reason for the question as his current form was the one he had within their physical scope. They'd never interact with his true self.

"Don't know," She shrugged and leaned back against her bed's headrest, "just weird thinking that you look like a guy a few years older then us, but are actually some super ancient 'thing.' Guess I just wanted to know what something like you would look like without the mask on."

Interesting. The implication was she was seeking a connection to his true self via visualization. He was not expecting these beings to desire knowing him beyond his presented shell. They were more curious then he anticipated if they strove to grasp concepts they couldn't even actually comprehend.

"Where are you from?" His eyes tracked to the voice in surprise finding the surprisingly serious eyes of Nora Valkyrie staring at him intently.

"Nowhere." He responded truthfully.

"Everyone's from someplace." She shot back immediately.

He paused to try to find a explanation. "I am from the void, the gap around realities. As you would see it the void is literally nothing. No matter or energy as you understand it exists within it. So I _am_ from nowhere."

She shifted as if that made her uncomfortable. He reviewed the statement. Perhaps it wasn't clear?

"Was that not an acceptable answer?"

She shook her head then glanced back at him. "It has to be something though. You're part of it, so it has to be more then just nothing."

Surprise again filtered through his mind. Deduction based on his own being. Extrapolation: He was something so there had to be more even if she couldn't detect it in any form. A not incorrect hypothesis. He was underestimating their mentality again. They were lesser in scope, yet not in depth. Most interesting indeed.

"Fair enough. Beings similar to me exists and other forms of energy drift through it. None of you would sense a thing in the void, but there are things within it beyond the scope of your senses."

"So what do you call yourselves?" Jaune Arc questioned.

He paused and reviewed the question. What?

"Pardon?"

"Your nation or people or whatever. What do you call yourselves?"

Ah, now he understood.

"There are no others like me. I am the only one and I have never thought to name myself."

Shock and disbelief coursed through the room. He was about to search, _yet again_ , for an offensive statement in his phrasing when their initial reaction was replaced by something intriguing. Pity and sorrow. He was caught so off guard by the obvious emotions in their body language he nearly missed Jaune Arc's quick apology.

"Oh man, I'm so sorry!" He gasped.

Clarification was required.

"For what, Mr. Arc?" He looked around uncertainly. "I don't understand what's upsetting about that."

"You don't understand?" This was Pyrrha Nikos who gave a short bitter sounding laugh. She couldn't emote in anyway due her injuries, but the emotions in her voice were clear enough. "You just told us you're all alone!"

"Well, yes. That would be correct."

Ruby Rose made a whining sound and even Blake Belladonna, whom he'd noted in his observations was rather stoic, looked displeased with the information.

 **Clarify!**

"Why is me being alone upsetting?"

A burst petals filled the room and he looked up in mild alarm as Ruby Rose appeared right next to his bed.

"It doesn't matter. You're not alone any more, you've got us now!" She declared firmly.

 **What?!**

He glanced around as a kind of mutual understanding came across the youths in the room. As if they had all come to a conclusion together. How they did so he wasn't sure. Some subtle body language he had missed?

"Ruby's right." Jaune Arc agreed. "You saved Pyrrha and that makes you a friend as far as I'm concerned."

Lie Ren nodded. "Not to mention helping to save all of Vale."

Yang Xiao Long sighed and spoke almost condescendingly from her own bed. "You should just accept it, once Ruby makes up her mind about stuff like this it's pretty much over, god or not." Then she chuckled. "And we're pretty much a package deal so I guess I'm your new BFF too. Weiss and Blake come packaged with us, whether they like it or not."

The two girls in questioned made nearly identical huffing sounds, but neither protested.

Finally it hit him what they were getting at. They, as pack creatures, saw his isolation as something utterly horrifying. A fate that in their minds would likely be far worse then death. In truth, such isolation didn't bother him in the least, but this gave rise to a far more shocking realization.

They were _empathizing_ with him.

Alarm actually shot through his entire being as it was a scenario he had never even considered. He understood empathy of course, it was hardwired into their minds and was part of himself as well. It was empathy that had caused him to extent his offer to Pyrrha over the others and empathy that allowed him to agree to her final stipulation. All functional sapient beings had empathy to some extent.

What alarmed him was that they were empathizing with _him_ , a creature they knew was in no way like themselves. That had so many surprising implications, such as that they in some way saw parts of themselves in him despite him being what he was. Even if he accepted that saving Pyrrha Nikos was the "trigger" for their feelings, that should of ended or at least dampened the moment they realized he was something beyond themselves. Instead that knowledge didn't seem to have affected them at all beyond igniting their curiosity.

They simply accepted that he was "other" and moved on with their lives, even offering him a place in it. For the very first time in his existence he was unsure how to react to a situation.

"I..." He stared around the room wide eyed then shook his head. "Thank you."

What else could he say in the face of such generosity?

He knew it was the right thing when Ruby Rose smiled.

* * *

"Well Jimmy," Qrow growled as he fell into a chair without being asked, "what do you think of all this?"

"To be perfectly honest?" Her superior muttered as he marched around his desk. "Not a damn clue."

"Great." The drunkard reached for a pocket then stopped with a dejected sigh. "Just great."

"Poor baby bird," Tai mocked, "All stressed without his flask." The man laughed a moment later, somehow he managed to make the teasing sound friendly.

Branwen just flipped him off.

The General's office on board the command ship was sparse. Most of his personal belongings had been aboard the Spire, the battleship Torchwick had highjacked which went down in the Emerald Forest during the battle. Winter almost cringed at the thought that it had just _barely_ missed crashing into Vale itself. The dust core going critical inside the city would have been catastrophic.

The new command ship was just a converted intercept cruiser, but it was the best they had at the moment. The room was little more then a solid white and grey room with a sparse desk covered in papers and a personal computer. Even the chairs were basic and had been dragged in from some storage unit.

Behind her superior a screen flickered to life showing the hospital room with the... "anomaly" and her sister's friends. They were chatting idly, the creature itself simply watching and interacting only when directly prompted. Yet none of them seemed at all bothered by the fact it was there. There was audio so they could hear what everyone in the room was saying, but it seemed to be mostly inane conversation right now.

Personally, it's appearance and mere presence outright unnerved her. It didn't even look alive in her eyes. Like someone had made a clay model of a person and somehow brought it to life. Penny had been far more human then that thing.

That thought brought a momentary pang of pain to her, but she crushed it. Doctor Polendina still hoped he could restore the robot girl, even if she might lack a few days of memory. She would not mourn until all hope was gone. There was enough reason for grief as it was.

Her superior stared at the screen for a moment then shook his head.

"A god." He whispered. "Nikos was saved by an actual god. _Vale_ was saved by a god."

"He says he isn't one." Taiyang pointed out as he took his own seat. "He was quite insistent on it in fact."

Her commander turned a flat gaze upon the other man. "If we take the kid's accounts and his own words at face value then he, if gender even applies, is a creature from beyond the walls of our universe that can command time and bend the very fabric of reality like paper. Who can causally read minds, create weapons from literally nothing, and whose very existence defies everything we know about how the world works." He slumped in his seat and closed his eyes. "What would you call that if not a god."

Winter shifted uneasily, but offered her own words quietly something the General had encouraged her to do when he brought her into this little inner circle. "He said he was merely a creature of a higher existence. Something that to us appears godlike, but really isn't."

"Still makes him one in practice." Qrow grunted. "Maybe not all powerful or all seeing, but he's something like the twin gods from before the Great War. Least he sounds like them."

"Never was one for legends that was always..." James paused and closed his eyes before continuing in a more subdued voice. "That was always Ozpin's specialty."

A moment of pained silence stretched through the room and even Winter who barely knew the man closed her eyes for a brief moment. Ozpin had been a great man, one of the few to truly champion the cause of not just a kingdom, but all of humanity and Faunus kind. His loss was a devastating blow.

"Oz had me look for bits and pieces of old lore." Qrow finally muttered to break the silence. "Just little things that might point us in the right direction. The old gods were always described as powerful other worldly spirits made flesh who had abilities that defied science. They weren't invincible, just strange and absurdly powerful. Oz told me that the power the Maiden's use is a watered down version of what the Twins could do. Maybe he's not the first of his kind to make it here or things like him once existed a long time ago."

Winter glanced at the screen and froze when she noticed the creature was staring straight at them. The general noticed her gaze and also froze when he faced the screen. She felt more then saw the other two men likewise lock up. The creatures eyes seemed to pierce right through the monitor. After a tense moment Weiss seemed to draw its attention and the room collectively relaxed.

She released the white knuckled grip she had on her saber. She didn't even remember reaching for it.

"Now that's creepy." Qrow whispered likewise releasing his own hold of his sword.

"How can they be so calm around him?" She whispered.

"Perception." Taiyang muttered then grinned like he solved a puzzle. "He based himself on our perceptions of him. Maybe how we think of him actually affects how we see of him? To the kids he just saved Ruby and Pyrrha, much less helped all of Vale, and they'd be willing to take that at face value. That's a pretty much the best positive first meeting possible."

Qrow groaned. "So the more you like him the less threatening or... or wrong or whatever he seems? Dust, that's fucked up, but it would make a weird kind of sense. Some illusion semblances work like that." He paused then snickered. "Wonder what Cinder sees when she looks at him."

"A monster I imagine." Her superior responded without humor. "The real question is what do we do with this? With him?"

"I imagine he's going to follow Pyrrha around." Taiyang pointed out. "By the sounds of it he's more or less bound to her until he completes all his promises."

"'Until such a time as your quest against the darkness that plagues this world is over.' Lot of ways that can be interpreted. Nikos' death would count as that quest being over I imagine."

"Except he seems to like Pyrrha. It was the whole reason he went to her first."

Qrow nodded, but still frowned. "But he never mentioned _why_ he likes her. Could be she just interests him or he sympathized with someone so young dying in such a cruel way. Could be she's the newest of the maiden's with the least control of her powers making her the least threatening. Could be she's young and desperate for peers making her the easiest to manipulate. He could say he liked her for any of those reasons and it would be true."

General Ironwood frowned. "Exact words."

"Right." Qrow nodded. "That was also something the legends that mentioned the old gods always seemed to stress. That always kept their word, but you had to watch what they said closely. Phrasing is everything. They tended to only fuck over people with bad intentions, but I doubt he's one of them, just something that works on similar rules."

"Right." The General nodded. "That still doesn't-"

"Wait." Taiyang suddenly pointed at the feed and they all fell silent listening.

"-do?" The boy named Lie Ren was asking something. "You know, don't you?"

"I know what you did in that future, yes? Why would you want to know? That future is gone." The creature responded.

"We had a reason for it. I imagine it was motivated by Pyrrha's... death, but knowing what we did then could let us make plans now."

The creature cocked its head to the side curiously then nodded. "You, Miss Rose, Miss Valkyre, and Mr. Arc traveled to Haven in Mistral."

"Why?" Taiyang's oldest asked. "I mean why just the four of them? Where were the rest of us."

"Miss Nikos was dead." It was a flat statement, but the entire room flinched. Pyrrha herself chuckled uneasily. "That was indeed your motivation for the most part. You, Miss Xiao Long, where emotionally crippled, far more so then your loss of limb hindered you. It took you months to properly recuperate, but you did eventually follow."

"Emotionally crippled?!" The girl snarled. She did seem pretty far from that right now. Even through the screen they could see her eyes flash red.

The creature ignored her. "Miss Schnee was reclaimed by her father and spirited off to Atlas against her will."  
Winter frowned. Their father was already here and had been asking for both of them. This situation had simply been more pressing something the General had impressed upon him personally. Had Ironwood not intervened...

"Miss Bellodonna felt responsible for your injury and returned to Menagerie in hopes of getting her parent's aid in altering the White Fang's course and facing Mr. Taurus. You eventually all end up at Haven Academy even if by different routes."

"You what?!" Yang barked. "Blake! This isn't your fault!" She waved the stump of her arm in agitation. "Adam did this!"

"It's still my fault you even had to-!"

"Nope!" Yang snapped.

"Yang you can't just-!"

"Nope!"

"You stubo-!"

"NOPE!"

"As amusing as this is," Her sister interjected, "Why Haven? What's there?"

The three men around her tensed. Winter glanced around the room and realized they all knew something that she hadn't been made privy to. Unsurprising considering how knew she was to the group she supposed.

"An artifact of great power known as the Relic of Knowledge. What it does I don't know, but I can sense it even from here, it has energy within it not unlike my own."

"That's not possible." General Ironwood growled as he rose to his feet. "He can't possibly know that!"

"Looks like he does." Qrow snarked.

"There are four such artifacts. Knowledge, Choice, Creation and Destruction. The Relic of Choice is here in Beacon. I assume the other two are in Atlas and Shade academy."

The creature glanced around the room and even looked at the camera as if including them. "Soon your enemy will strike Haven in an attempt to take the Relic of Knowledge. Whether they continue with that course of action now that I have intervened I do not know."

The teenagers in the room glanced at each other uneasily.

"You know who did this to Vale, to us, don't you." Arc asked hesitantly.

To Winter's surprise the creature actually paused as if he wasn't sure he should tell them. Perhaps he just didn't want them getting involved in something so obviously beyond them.

"Anduriel." Pyrrha's voice carried from her immobile position in bed. "Cinder isn't the real enemy. Tell them. Please."

"So be it." The creature muttered. "Your enemy is a woman named Salem, Cinder Fall is merely a pawn of hers. She has been the driving force of the Grimm for thousands of years. Whether she created them or not I do not know. Regardless, she is an ancient power and is seeking these relics. To access the vaults, you must have the proper corresponding Maiden to open the door. That was why she had Cinder come here. All of this was just to find the key to a vault and get what was within."

The kid's reaction was predictable. Shock followed by questions. Winter focused her own attention on her peers.

General Ironwood sat down heavily. "So that's it then. Now they know."

Qrow nodded, but didn't look nearly as stressed. "Guess they're in the circle now. Nikos would have been anyway, she's one of the Maidens, the others would of probably found out from her sooner or later. That group is too close for it to stay hidden."

The General just sighed.

"Well," Taiyang said cheerily, "at least we know our next move."

"Haven."

"It's going to take some time to get anything moving." General Ironwood muttered. "Without Ozpin to pull strings..."

"We don't need to." Qrow said confidently as he rose from his seat. "We have a group of talented hunters who are likely to be headed in that direction anyways."

"The kids?" Taiyang gasped. "Qrow you can't be serious they're-!"

"Veterans of the biggest battle we've seen in decades, two heroes, and a god." Qrow cut him off as he paused at the door. "I'm not saying we throw them to the beowolves Tai, but come on they've always been getting into trouble since their first day at Beacon. _They're going to go_." The other man deflated with a sigh. Qrow looked back at Ironwood then to her surprise to her. "They just need to be ready."

"You're asking us to train them." She whispered.

"I'm asking you to help make sure they survive." He opened the door. "Eventually, we all have to put our chips in the next generation. Seems like a good time to start."

Then he was gone. Winter looked down at the floor in contemplation. Their father wouldn't like it if she started training Weiss. Her lips curled up slightly at the idea of his disapproval and at the idea of spending more time with her sister.

Taiyang likewise stood and moved to leave. "I'll see who I can help. Yang at the least. She's going to need a new style with the loss of an arm." He spoke as he strode to the door. "Maybe the Valkyrie girl and Arc boy as well, pretty similar styles to my own."

"Taiyang." Ironwood rose from his seat. "I need Yang's measurements."

The man cocked an eyebrow. "She's a little young for you isn't she?"

James just snorted. "For a prosthetic." He shot back. "We need all our best fighters in top form and..." He trailed off and sighed. "And I feel responsible for her loss. If I had listened to her about the illusion semblance things might have been different. Doctor Polendina will be happy to make it in between his efforts on Penny. Top of the line and no cost." He ran a hand through his hair. "I can also talk to her if she has doubts or concerns. Dust knows I have enough experience on the subject."

Taiyang smiled. "Right, I'll send them to your scroll. Thank you James, it means a lot, and don't blame yourself for this. They fooled everyone, even Ozpin."

Then just like Qrow he was gone.

She turned to her superior and saluted. "Sir?"

"Winter?" He asked casually.

She managed to mostly hide her grin. "Permission for a few months leave in order to spend some personal time with my sister. I would like to get to know her friends better."

General Ironwood grinned. "Granted, Specialist."

* * *

 **A/N**

No not dead. The holidays just distracted me for a while. And Monster Hunter World. Love that game.

Some details about Anduriel's brain pan here or Cosmic God Monster Psychology 101.

So some people might point out that Anduriel has a solid grasp of human emotions and how to abuse them so why is he confused by the kids empathizing with them. To that I would point out the emotions he understands best are the easy ones: Fear, anger, hatred, ect. He gets those, because they are **simple** emotions. Even things like loyalty and love are relatively easy to understand.

Friendship however, is complex multitiered thing that something like Anduriel, who is the only one of his kind and lacks any form of pack mentality, just doesn't quiet grasp beyond the academic. He gets the theory of it, but he lacks the natural intuition that most social creatures have of it which renders him a little blind when the concepts are applied to _him_ personally.

For instance he recognized Pyrrha's friendship with the group thus knew to offer her information on them as part of "The Deal" and understood how to exploit such emotions when dealing with Cinder, but he completely overlooked the possibility that the humans he interacts with might come to have similar feelings of friendship regarding _him_.

Part of this is that academic "in theory only" blindness, but he is capable of those emotions himself despite being a loner by nature. As he points out empathy is just part of a functional sapient mind.

A bigger part of it is that empathy is, at it's core, seeing a shadow of yourself in another being, without that it's very, _very_ difficult to actually empathize with something. In his mind he's so utterly alien to the RWBY cast they couldn't possibly empathize with him even if he can with them. As he's coming from a higher plane he can see himself in "lesser beings." Kind of like how humans can empathize with animals yet we don't expect it to work the other way around.

He just wasn't expecting them to be able to understand him enough to actually form any kind of legitimate connection with him and that any connection that _did_ form on their end would crack as soon as what he truly is came out. Instead they just kind of shrugged off his origins and formed those connections anyway. This is mostly due to the fact the first thing they learned about him is that he saved Pyrrha's life. His reasons don't matter nearly as much as the action itself,"louder then words" and all that. Once they had that positive image of him the realization that he's not normal is rather blase.

That's _mind blowing_ from his point of view as they're accepting a being they are literally incapable of fully comprehending. Ultimately what Ruby's offer of friendship sounds like to him is "we'll never understand you completely, but we don't need to. You're our friend anyway and we trust you to be our friend too." It's blindly illogical from his stand point and yet they're doing it anyways.

As to the kids trusting him enough to offer that friendship, well in Ruby and Pyrrha's case it's motivated by stress bonding. You get the same thing from anyone that survives high stress situations together. It's easier to view somebody, even a total stranger, as a friend if you've already trusted them with your life. Everyone else is motivated by the fact that the only thing they know about him beyond "he's an alien god monster" is "he saved Pyrrha and Ruby" which for such a close group is a big deal, for Jaune and Yang in particular.

Also several people have pointed out that it does indeed result in foursomes and does in fact have a stupid name based on a pun. You are all sick. All of you. I refuse to speak with any of you any longer.


	6. Every End is a Beginning

**I am old and have fought many, many battles. Yet even this old warrior can still learn new tricks. This new body and its limitations presents a unique opportunity to learn an entirely new method of combat. I can hardly wait.**

* * *

Pyrrha back peddled and barely brought Akoúo̱ up in time to block. Even so her faithful shield rang like a gong and she was sent flying. Her opponent vanished, appearing behind her before she had even hit the ground his weapon arcing downward in a smash that would leave her in a carter. Judicious use of her semblance halted her flight mid air, the dark blade whistled past her head and smashed into the ground shattering the metal plating and concert beneath like glass.

She snarled as she spun still hovering mid air, her limited control of the Fall Mantle empowering her abilities, and she swung out just as her feet touched the ground. Milo howled as it blurred into motion and cut through the cloud of dust her opponent's missed swing had kicked up. Still the black sword moved impossibly to intercept her strike. Sparks flew as the two weapons collided.

They locked blades for a moment and she couldn't help the grin that passed her lips. It had been a very long time since she was actually pressed in single combat. Even Cinder had depended mostly on Dust to match her.

Her semblance reached out to her foe seeking something, _anything_ to latch onto. There was nothing metallic on him, but the floor he was standing on was steel. With a scream of failing metal the paneling came apart beneath him, his footing buckled.

Rather then giving ground or simply falling he threw both their blades wide with a sudden jerk of his arm, then recklessly came in low with his shoulder.

She gasped as the attack went home, too sudden and too close to dodge. She drove Milo's hilt down into the back of his head, but the world distorted sickeningly and her attack struck his shoulder instead.

Unfortunately, that left him free to carry her to the ground. The impact driving the air from her lungs, but she coiled her legs and kicked both feet straight into his gut sending him tumbling off her. She sprang up already swinging at his legs even as he likewise jumped back up. The attack forced him into the air, hopping over her low strike and she planted her sword arm on the ground as a pivot for a spin kick with her right leg.

The world warped and her attack struck only air. She pushed off with her hand and let the kick's momentum carry her away from the strike from behind that would have bite into her waist. She landed several feet away and took a moment to gauge her opponent and catch her breath.

Anduriel looked like he hadn't been fighting for twenty minutes straight. His hair was perfect, his breathing calm, and his stance still solid. She was wearing down and he wasn't just like always. She would have complained, but frankly she was enjoying herself far to much for that. It had been so, so long since she could cut lose in a fight that _didn't_ have lives on the line.

He grinned at her and flourished his blade cockily. She answered with a scowl and yanked the floor out from under him again. He was ready for it this time and lunged the moment he felt her semblance take hold of the steel beneath him. He covered the distance in a fanciful spin that had both his sword and the tails of his coat turn into little more then colored blurs.

Pyrrha felt time slow down as he came in fast and high with his sword, his strange time slowing ability locking her in place and making all movement sluggish. She knew from experiencing the power in previous duels he'd have to release it once he got too close or it would effect him as well, but it effectively locked her in place. The spinning overhead strike was flashy and no doubt had a lot of power, but it wasn't the primary attack. It was just to get her to dodge to produce an opening. A feint. She knew, because this was one of _her_ moves. She'd beaten him in their last match with this exact attack. She didn't know what his follow up would be, but she was sure she wouldn't like it. With her own movement slowed until it got close she'd have little time to evade it which would likely leave her completely open to the real attack.

However, knowing the maneuver made her feel she could catch him off guard.

Instead of dodging the moment she felt time return to normal she planted her left foot and shoved forward with Akoúo̱ sending the black blade skittering to the side. The shock of deflecting the attack numbed her left arm completely and ate a sizable chunk of her aura, such was the power behind the strike, but it left him open to a follow up.

At least that was how it had appeared for a moment.

His other hand, previously empty, came around to catch her sword with a dark hook like weapon, Milo caught in it's oddly curved form and she instinctively braced her arm in preparation for him to attempt to yank her weapon away. Instead, he used the last bit of momentum from the spin to push down to the floor sending her off balance then shoved _towards_ her as he recovered his footing forcing her hand back into her chest and smashing her dead center with her own hilt.

Air rushed from her lungs yet again, but he had left himself open to a solid, if somewhat sloppy, strike from Akoúo̱ that sent him staggering back. Unfortunately, her blade was still caught in the weird hook thing and she had to move forward with him or lose her primary weapon.

She was so focused on figuring out how to yank her weapon free she missed the sweep that took her left leg out from under her and just barely hopped up to block the follow up knee with her right foot. The sheer power behind it drained another sizable portion of her aura and launched her skyward even with her rather flashy avoidance maneuver, thankfully with Milo slipping free. Still, her eyes widened as her opponent kicked off the ground after her.

Anduriel threw the hook weapon like a boomerang at her right side his sword moving for a follow up right behind it.

The world seemed to slow yet again, but this time it was the surge of adrenaline. She went over her options and Anduriel's likely counters in a focused frenzy . She could tell just by the feeling in her left arm that it was both too sluggish and too weak to really block anything with power behind it, doing so would crumble what little control she had. The thing wasn't metal so she couldn't change it's course. She could _maybe_ tank the hook then counter the swing, but if she dropped below twenty percent aura she'd lose and Anduriel could put a _lot_ of strength behind a throw. She _could_ move herself with her semblance, but she wouldn't put it past her opponent to simply teleport the weapon back on target. He'd denied her every option, but one.

Milo blurred as she batted the thing away and attempted to recover fast enough to block his follow up. Sadly, she was too slow and was forced to bring her shield around in pure desperation. As she feared the strength behind his swing overwhelmed her numbed arm and simply smashed past her defense. She screamed as the weapon crashed into her side and sent her plummeting to the ground. The impact red lined what was left of her aura and sent her rolling to a stop with a groan.

The buzzer that signaled match over sounded.

She heard several sets of footsteps rushing toward her even as she rolled to her knees with a growl.

"Damnit!" She snapped and punched the steel floor, denting it even with her minimal aura reserves. "Idiot! You know better then to take one of his attacks head on, he's too strong. You know better! UGH!"

A pair of shoes appeared in front of her and she looked up to see Jaune grinning sheepishly down at her. He extended a hand to help her up and she accepted it with a small sigh, though she still smiled thankfully as he pulled her to her feet.

"Well," He started with an awkward chuckle, "I'd say you did great, but frankly you look so upset I'm not sure."

"Just a bad move on my part." She explained as she tried to roll her left shoulder to relieve the spreading cramp now that the numbness and adrenaline was fading. "When I deflected that overhead it messed up my arm too much to block that hook thing he threw at me so I had to parry it with Milo. It left my entire right side open. I should of known better."

She called her weapons back to her with her semblance and put them away.

Jaune stared at her in disbelief. "You should of known he had a second weapon he's never used before or that blocking his attack would leave you open later?"

"Both. I've seen him bring out unexpected secondaries before. The spear got me good that first time remember?" She grunted. "And I know he's way too strong to take head on like that. Yang's the only one of us that can tank his hits and even with her semblance she wouldn't risk a big overhead like that. It was just stupid, but I recognized the maneuver he was using. He probably counted on it in fact, baited me with my own attack." She sighed. "I was being an idiot and payed for it."

She glanced over to where Anduriel was speaking to Ruby, Weiss, and Mr. Branwen who were critiquing his own performance. As always he was listening with rapt attention. It always surprised her how much he listened to them.

She had no illusions that she could win if it were a life and death battle. The "light edges" he could apply to weapons made any attack completely unblockable, they would cut through literally anything, so evasion was the only option. At such a high level of combat not being able to block was a death sentence. It was the same concept applied to one arrow that had effectively killed her against Cinder.

He was so, so much stronger then all of them yet he heeded their words without complaint. He never doubted what they told him and that let him improve with frightening speed.

 **You know I am still learning to fight in this form. What good is arguing with others who are more experienced in the matter?**

The words entered her mind smoothly, almost like he had simply spoken them next to her. Their connection seemed much stronger after she had recovered.

 _It's hard remember that when you plant my face into the floor after only two weeks of training._

 **My apologies.**

 _It's fine. It was a good move on your part._

 **Thank you. You fought well yourself.**

She was about to disagree with him on that when Jaune coughed bringing her attention back to him. She gave him an apologetic smile, but didn't comment. The others had quickly picked up on the fact that she and Anduriel talked to each other "psychically" as Ruby called it. Something from a comic book apparently. She was told it was pretty obvious if the "conversation" went on for more then a few moments. Something about her eyes losing focus.

She picked up their conversation where she had left it. "I was also getting kind of desperate. His endurance is a real problem. If I don't beat him inside twenty minutes it's almost impossible to win, I'm just too worn down after that to keep up with him."

She sighed. "The biggest problem though is he's so quick that I can't really use any of Milo's other forms. That's one of my biggest advantages. The rifle's _useless_ because the second he sees the shift into it even _start_ he teleports right into melee and the same thing lets him keep inside the javelin's effective range. Worse he's fast enough to actually catch it if I throw it at him and strong enough to hold it even if I use my semblance to try to drag it back."

She'd learn that the hard way in their second spar. After beating him in less then five minutes the first time they fought she nearly ripped her hair out in frustration when their second fight had gone past fifteen minutes.

She'd chucked Milo at him in annoyance after a taunting flourish on his part and had been utterly shocked when he causally snatched it out of the air. She'd been even more shocked when she not only couldn't pull it back, but he proceeded to transform it into blade form and come after her with her own weapon.

Needless to say she'd lost that fight. The first one on one fight she'd lost in years. She'd been absolutely determined to win the next match. They'd gone back and forth ever since, a perfect 50% win rate for both.

She glared at the ceiling in annoyance. "If that wasn't enough absolutely nothing on him is magnetic so my semblance's usefulness is diminished a lot."

"The weapon's aren't metal?" He asked with a cocked eyebrow.

She shook her head. "No. They're some kind of crystal, at least that's what they feel like. He let me try one out a few days ago." She waved dismissively. "I guess I'm just not used to fighting someone that counters so many of my normal advantages."

"It's kinda like fighting a guy with a bunch of semblances all rolled together, isn't it?" Jaune asked. "He's starting to fight like a few of us too. I noticed that the last time we spared. It felt like I was fighting you, but with Blake's semblance."

She paused and glanced sideways at her leader. "I hadn't noticed that." She muttered, though she didn't doubt him for an instant. Jaune had a knack for spotting things of that nature.

He nodded. "His general fighting style is pretty much all you minus the rifle. He's a little more focused on the sword, but will pull out that spear to keep up pressure like you do with your javelin. He uses his... warp? I'll call it a warp!" He grinned triumphantly and she smiled at his enthusiasm. "He uses his warp thing like Blake uses her clones. Dodge, evade, confuse. There's a little of Ruby in there too when he uses it to close distance. He'll pop out of it midair and moving so he can add the momentum to the strike like she does and he tends to let it carry him past his target to avoid any counter attacks." He scratched the back of his head. "Don't know what the sword catcher was, that might have been purely to counter you."

She crossed her arms and frowned at a wall while going over the information. She _had_ noticed some of Ruby's style in the gap closers, but she'd completely missed Blake's style in his evasions or that his entire melee style was apparently based on herself. "I'm going to get the arena recordings of that last fight and you'll have to give me a play-by-play later. I'm not letting him beat me with my own style. That's just embarrassing!"

Jaune chuckled and nodded with a knowing smile. When she saw his amusement her annoyance at herself turned into uneasy embarrassment.

"What?" She felt herself blush a little. "What's so funny?"

"It's just," He waved a hand as if trying to snagged the proper words out of the air, "It's like you turn into a different person when you talk about fighting. Or at least fighting Anduriel. You get all serious and focused, I guess it's just strange to see you so competitive."

She shifted from foot to foot uneasily. "Do I really seem competitive?"

"Only with him." Jaune assured her. "But I think that's because he's the only one you can actually be competitive with. I figured it had to be in there some place anyways, you don't get to be," He posed and adopted a silly over the top voice, "'The Champion of Mistral' without a lot of drive I imagine. It's nice to see if you ask me. Heart of a champion and all that."

She giggled at his goofiness, but nodded. "I used to be like this all the time when I first started fighting, but I guess it had been so long since I met someone that can actually push me it just kind of faded away. It feels good honestly."

"Getting smashed into the floor feels good?"

She rolled her eyes and was about to say it was the challenge she liked, but another voice cut her off.

"Depends on who's smashing and how, lover boy." Yang drawled as she sauntered up. The blond waggled her eyebrows. "A girl likes it rough sometimes, right Pyrrha? Take notes, Jaune~, she has the pony tail for a reason~."

She mimed a pulling motion. Pyrrha felt her entire face heat up and likewise saw Jaune clap and hand over his own blushing face before sighing towards the sky.

"Will you ever let it go?" He asked. "Yang it's been a month!"

"Not. A. Chance~." She sing-songed and snickered at their embarrassment.

A very quiet whirring sound drew her attention to Yang's new appendage. The cybernetic prosthetic glinted faintly in the bright lights of the training arena.

"Is the arm working alright?" She asked both to distract the blonde and because she was actually curious. Curious and _concerned_ in truth.

She had heard some truly awful things about cybernetic augmentations going poorly. She doubted that would happen here, not with both Doctor Polendina and a specialized Atlas support staff, General Ironwood's personal staff apparently, to oversee the procedure, but worry still gnawed at her.

Yang glanced down at her new arm and held it up, rotating the wrist and flexing the fingers. They moved as smoothly as her original hand, the whisper quiet whirring sound just noticeable in the silence.

"So far so good." She said with a grin. "I can actually feel it too, not like my actual arm, but it has sensors all over it that let me keep track of pressure and stuff so I don't go crushing things I don't want to and the Doc says it should get rid of the ghost pains."

She reached into her sleeve and there was a loud metallic clank sound. A moment later Yang was holding her arm. "Plus I can do this which is a neat party trick. Probably get someone to spit their drink."

Pyrrha didn't doubt it, just watching that had turned her stomach and Jaune was looking a little green.

Yang glance at her fellow blond then down to her detached arm. A teasing grin blossomed on her face.

She held the limb out to him. "Wanna shake?"

She chuckled at his cringe then reattached the arm with another clank sound. She shook the cybernetic as if fighting off a fit of numbness then flexed the fingers again before letting it fall to her side.

"Is it safe for it to come off that easily?" She asked.

Yang shrugged. "The release is keyed to my 'bio-signature' whatever that means. I'm the only one that can take it off that quick. Surgeons or doctors could get it off too if I'm unconscious and they need to for some reason, but it would take them a lot longer."

"Enough physical power would also remove it via the fail safes in the attachment point. Anything that would tear her arm off completely will just take the attachment instead." A voice spoke. Pyrrha turned her head to see the elderly doctor that had designed the arm itself and General Ironwood. "Better to lose the augment then everything up to the shoulder joint."

Doctor Polendina, Penny's creator and father, looked every bit the scientist. His hands were buried in the pockets of his white lab coat which he wore open over a dress shirt and casual slacks. His white hair was a messy mop that looked like no comb could ever tame it. His green eyes glinted from behind square glasses with amusement at the moment, but Pyrrha knew that could become piercing at times, as if he was scanning you into his memory.

Pyrrha still felt incredibly awkward around the doctor. Penny's death at her hands, intentional or not, was entirely her fault. He had assured her he didn't blame her for his lose, saying he laid the blame at Emerald Sustria's feet as it was her fault Pyrrha had over reacted, but she simply couldn't stop blaming herself for the event. If she hadn't panicked Penny would have been fine.

The world at her shoulder twisted and Anduriel was simply standing behind her. Everyone else cringed at his sudden appearance, but she merely glanced back at him.

 _What did they think?_

 **Miss Rose thought we looked like comic book characters going and I quote "zoowam, kerpow, bwamp, zip-crack" ect.**

She couldn't help snickering. _Sounds like Ruby._

 **She also wanted to know what the other weapon was. I told her I have no idea I just made it to catch Milo.**

 _So that was purely to counter me! That's cheating!_

 **There is no rule against it. Miss Schnee thought I was too aggressive. Mr Branwen said I have improved significantly, but I need to work on covering my openings. Do you have any thoughts?**

 _You still leave your left side open. I still think you should try a shield, but I guess you cover it well enough with your secondaries when you have to. Other then that not really._

She paused then cocked her head slightly. _Jaune says you're copying my style._

 **You are the most skilled melee combatant here. It just seemed prudent to model myself on your performance. I will stop if it's offensive.**

 _No, it's fine. Just annoyed I didn't notice until he pointed it out to me._

 **Apologies, I would have asked you had I thought it significant.**

 _It's not a big deal. You might want to try using your spear a little more though since you don't have a shield. Don't be afraid to throw it either since I'm guessing you can always make another. Keeping enemies pressured, especially if you're fighting several people at once, will keep them from regrouping or attacking in tandem._

 **I see. I will attempt to enact that in our next spar.**

 _Do_ you _have any thoughts?_

 **Beyond somehow increasing your endurance? No. You are still vastly more skilled then myself. Outlasting you or catching you with an overwhelming feint is my only option.**

 _So fight smarter and get tougher. Fantastic. Do you think there's anyway to improve my –_

"That's still crazy creepy when you two do that by the way." Yang's voice drew her attention.

The others had wandered over while she wasn't paying attention and everyone was staring at the two of them.

"Sorry." She mumbled with a flush.

Doctor Pelodinna looked intrigued. "So you truly can communicate with your minds? Why use it in such close proximity though? Is it quicker then words?"

Pyrrha nodded still fighting off the heat in her face. "Much quicker. We just had about a three minute conversation in... however long we were talking."

"About twenty seconds." The scientist mumbled sounding impressed. "Nearly the same speed ratio as CCT electronic data transmission."

General Ironwood crossed his arms looking thoughtful. "Is it limited by distance?"

"Not that I've noticed." Pyrrha responded.

"Technically, yes." Anduriel spoke after her. "I would have difficulty maintaining the connection if I left your star's gravity field."

Everyone blinked. Unsurprisingly it was the Doctor that translated that into something relatable first.

"You're saying it's range is the entire solar system? That's incredible!"

"Effectively infinite then." Mr. Branwen sighed. "I'm getting sick of using the word 'effectively' in relation to you bud."

Anduriel looked unsure how he should respond to that. "I apologize? If it makes you feel better it's merely academic. I can't go more then a few leagues from Miss Ni-" Pyrrha coughed pointedly and Anduriel actually cringed. "From Pyrrha." He corrected.

She was insisting on him using her name. She was being rather vehement in making sure he did so. She exchanged a triumphant grin with Ruby at the little victory. Lost the battle, winning the war.

"I think we're ready." Jaune said suddenly.

His voice was quiet, but everyone turned to him. The words were simple, but they carried so much weight. Pyrrha felt something change in the air. This was it, wasn't it? It was already time.

"Do you now?" Mr. Branwen crossed his arms.

"I don't think we can get any stronger training like this." Ren agreed and Pyrrha found herself nodding. She wasn't the only one.

The sparing matches were fun, but only she and Anduriel were getting stronger from them any more. They were so evenly matched they just constantly pushed each other forward. Yet everyone else had peaked. Only the real world could really teach them more and even the two of them would learn faster in real fights.

"When do you plan to leave?" The General asked, his hands clasped behind his back, but there was a proud air around him.

They all looked at one another. "Tomorrow." Ruby finally said with a nod.

"I guess..." Weiss whispered. "I guess I should go say goodbye to my sister."

"Take your time." Qrow advised looking them over. "Say your farewells and meet back here in the morning."

Everyone nodded.

"Mr. Anduriel." Doctor Pelodinn. "I wish to speak with you privately, please, I..." He hesitated. "I have a favor to ask. I am willing to bargain."

Anduriel stared at the old man. Pyrrha did too, did he know what he was asking?

Then he nodded. "So be it." With a swish of his blue coat he spun and strode away toward a side room.

The Doctor cast them a small smile as he turned to follow. "Good luck, children. And stay safe."

She moved to follow out of concern, but Jaune caught her wrist. "Pyrrha..." He coughed. "There's, uh, there's something I want to talk to you about."

She blinked then smiled. "Of course, Jaune. What do you need?"

He hesitated and glanced around. "In private, please." He muttered as he gently pulled her away from the group.

He walked a few yards away, not out of sight, but still well out of casual hearing range. He seemed so nervous. What was wrong?

"Jaune?" She reached out for him uncertainly.

He coughed and fidgeted in place. "Well Pyrrha the thing is I've been thinking and... well you see..." He coughed again.

"Jaune," She said with an encouraging smile. "Whatever it is you can just ask. I'll help however I can, I promise."

He ran a hand through his hair and glanced at the ground. Then sucked in a deep breath and looked into her eyes.

"Pyrrha... uh..." He took another breath and seemed to steel himself. "Would you... would you go out with me? As... as my girlfriend I mean?"

Her heart stopped in her chest. Her mind froze. Her entire body locked up and her stomach started doing somersaults. Her vision tunneled as she nearly fainted on the spot until all she could see was Jaune Arc's nervous, hopeful face.

"I..." She stuttered. She was going to pass out. She could feel it! "Jaune... I..."

His hopeful expression fell and panic shot through her, but she just couldn't get her mouth to say anything.

"Yeah, no this was stupid." He muttered. "I... I'm sorry Pyrrha, just forget-"

It was as far as he got before she launched herself at him with an excited squeal. The sound drew the attention of everyone else, even those who were nearly to the doors, as she simply tackled him to the ground. Her arms locked around his neck as they tumbled to the floor. The impact winded him, but his attention was instantly drawn to the girl clinging to him.

"Is..." He wheezed. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes!" She nodded vigorously. "Yes!"

Before she thought better of it or even thought at all she pulled herself up and pressed her lips to his. Their second kiss was much, much more enjoyable then their first.

"I told you to just ask her!" Qrow Branwen yelled, voice filled with amusement.

She was certain she heard at least one Scroll taking pictures. She couldn't even bring herself to care.

* * *

Fire roared and Grimm died. Screams and howls and the crackle of burning flesh. She snarled in rage as more came. There were always more here. Always. An endless army to train against.

Something cracked behind her and she spun. Sword flashing only to freeze as she stared into crimson and gold cat eyes.

Claws of light slashed for her throat.

She screamed. Terror and rage combined into a tide of destruction that rocked her surroundings and turned night into day for a single moment. The phantom image of a monster faded away as the flames rolled over him. She swore and brought a hand up to cover her eyes.

A stupid delusion of the mind brought about by stress and lack of sleep.

That was all it was.

That was all it ever was.

Her other hand fell to her side, to the injury that was once again bleeding.

It had never healed right.

She had accepted that it never would.

 **You are tainted. The stain shall never wash out. The light will never shine upon you again. Tainted, broken little toy.**

She gazed at the red staining her fingers and clenched her fist. Tears stung her eyes. Why? Why did this happen? It was all going so perfectly! Everything had been flawless!

 **You will never escape this darkness. It clings to you. Always.**

 _Be quiet!_

 **You have done such bad, bad things... Terrible things. It corrodes from within, doesn't it? It feeds and feeds yet it is never sated...**

 _Shut up!_

 **Do you only now realize how worthless you are? How much you deserve oblivion?**

 _I said SHUT UP!_

 **Do you feel the claws tearing at your chest? Hush, little toy. Soon there will be nothing...**

 _SHUT UP! SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP!_

 **You cannot cast us out. Your heart, your lungs, your thoughts... all will be ours...**

 _ **SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP! GETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUT!**_

 **We are coming, for all those you wish to protect, all those you wish to control.**

"GEEEEEETTT OOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUTTTTTTT!" Her voice cracked the sky.

The world became fire and death. Everything around her burned to ashes and then even the ashes burned away. Sound ceased to be, only light. For a single moment her entire world became one glittering star.

Then all things faded to shadowed gray. She collapsed, tears rolling down her face only to become steam as they struck the heated ground beneath her.

"Why?" She whimpered.

The voice was just a whisper now, but even then she heard it still.

 **Do you see what you have allowed? What you have become? You are naught but a shadow now...**

Cinder Fall curled in on herself.

She had never felt so helpless in her entire life.

* * *

 **A/N**

Well...

That's a thing that just happened.

There's a reason for this. I'm curious how many people can figure it out.

For those interested in exact times this is about a month later and is essentially the start of Volume 4 as far as this story is concerned. Haven looms in the distance.

Bonus info!

Some of those creep-tastic lines are taken from the Crawler from Fable 3. An ok RPG with an utterly chilling main villain. First time I played it I thought I went from an RPG to a horror survival game just because he's so damn freaky.

Also do leave a review if you feel so inclined. It helps motivate me to do stuff and things. That being said don't expect the next update this quick, I was laid up with a foot injury all week and literally couldn't do anything besides write on my labtop. I didn't even have internet. Pity me!

Also there's your kiss. Happy now?


	7. Time Skips On By

**There is no such thing as power. No such thing as control. These are illusions imagined by simple minds. What is mortal might before the incomparable power of nature? What is control before the march of time? There are forces that exist to which you are less then an insect.  
I am one of them.**

* * *

Cinder strode with well feigned control down the hallways of her mistresses castle. Emerald walked slightly behind her. She tried to pretend that didn't bother her, but...

 **It's only a matter of time, girl. She'll betray you in the end. They all will.**

 _She won't._

 **Of course she will. She's learned what she knows from you. Would you serve a weakling and a failure?**

She cringed slightly, just barely keeping herself from snarling in outrage. She was only barely paying enough attention to the world around her to avoid walking into a wall. Mercury was off someplace on his own. He did that more often then he used to. She tried not to let that bother her either, but the voice constantly pointed it out.

Always it whispered to her.

Paranoia was slowly consuming her to the core. Drowning her in doubts.

 _You're not real._

 **Perhaps not, but that would mean we are a facet of yourself. What does that say about you?**

She stopped dead in her tracks. A kind of dawning horror broke through what little composure she'd managed to maintain. The voice was with her all the time now. It taunted and criticized her every move, but she had ignored it mostly through the enforced belief it was just a figment of her imagination.

That it was her frayed nerves and exhaustion.

Her denial had worn thin over the weeks though.

Now the voice confronted her with a terrifying thought. If it _wasn't_ real then she'd gone mad. That the voice was somehow herself or at least some part of her was a terrifying thought given how it acted. Was it her guilt manifesting as a split personality to torment her? Was it some odd interaction with the power she had stolen?

 **It bites so deeply doesn't it? This doubt? It suffocates you. Will it destroy you?**

Was it real?

The last question had haunted her since it first began speaking. Now she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

 _Be quiet._

 **You think to order us? Abandon your delusions of control, little toy, for you have none here.**

 _This is my mind. Mine! Get out!_

 **The mind is a fortress, but yours is unguarded and unbarred. You are weak and cannot cast us out.**

 _Then be silent. Nothing you say is worth listening too!_

 **Emerald Sustrai will betray you. You knew this the moment you failed so spectacularly in Vale.**

 _You're lying!_

 **Are we though? What would you do if the positions were reversed?**

She felt her breathing quicken. Her breaths coming in short ragged gasps. Shivers racked her entire body though it had nothing to do with the castle's somewhat chilly temperature.

 _She won't. She loves me._

 **True, she does.**

 _Then she won't-!_

 **Yet you have known love, Cinder Fall, did it ever stop you from seeking power?**

Her breath caught for a moment. The shaking worsened and she felt Emerald take a few steps forward behind her. Her entire body tensed as the girl approached.

 **You've shown her weakness and like any predator she will prey upon that weakness. Just like you would.**

 _And what would you suggest?_

The question was sarcastic, she didn't really expect an answer. It never answered her directly with anything besides mockery. Her heart skipped a beat when for the first time it did.

 **Kill her.**

Her hands twitched, the fingers curling inward slightly. All at once her trembling body stilled unnaturally. She might as well have turned to stone on the spot.

"Ma'am?" She heard Emerald ask worriedly behind her. Her head turned slowly to stare over her shoulder and the girl took a surprised step back. "What's wrong?"

She didn't say a word. She didn't even blink.

 **A dead woman is no threat.**

She felt her hands brace to call forth her blades. She felt her entire body tense in preparation to spin about and spring. Something in her mind began screaming, but that voice was so tiny she could barely hear it.

 **Kill her.**

The tinkling of glass whispered through the air, subtle enough to go unnoticed. Emerald's face was a mask of worried confusion.

Something twisted inside her, something that was not her at all welled up from the depths and wrapped it's coils around her very being.

"C-Cinder?"

 **Her guard is down, her throat laid bare.**

It would be so easy, she wouldn't expect it. She wouldn't have time to react or fight back. In one fell swoop the girl would be gone. Emerald was valuable, but not irreplaceable. She was ultimately expendable.

 **She's no longer of any use to you.**

She didn't need Emerald any more.

 **All she can do is cause you harm.**

She'd become a threat.

 **You don't tolerate threats.**

Cinder Fall didn't tolerate threats.

Glass swords appeared in her hands.

Her body tried to turn, but every inch of herself fought it. Why? Why would she hesitate? Emerald was expendable. There was no reason to let her live.

Was there? Something... Why? What was..?

 **KILL HER!**

 _NO!_

With a gasp she practically threw herself away from the girl and collapsed. Her weapons clattered to the floor and shattered. Her hands clutched at her head as splitting pain filled her mind. Her vision blurred with the agony and everything became washed in a red haze.

She heard Emerald shouting, but couldn't decipher the words.

She only now realized the voice that had been screaming was her own. She knew that somehow she had almost lost herself. Had she given in to the voice's urgings Cinder Fall would of died along with Emerald and something else would of worn her skin.

 **Yet still you struggle. How much longer can you last?**

 _You won't have me! You won't!_

It's only answer was the mocking laughter that filled her mind.

"Cinder?!" She looked up at Emerald's frightened face, unsure of what she could say to head off any questions, but the girl's startled intake of breath stopped her from even trying.

"What?" She rasped, her voice was scratchy and strained. It felt like she had been screaming. Had she? She couldn't remember...

Emerald reached into a pocket and pulled out a hand held makeup kit. What she was doing with it Cinder had no idea, but she flipped it open and hesitantly held it out.

"What are you..?" Her voice trailed off as she caught sight of her reflection in the tiny mirror. Her breathing spiked as horror filled her mind.

Her left eye had changed. The entire sclera had become a deep blood red and the pupil had become a catlike slit.

A trembling hand slowly reached up to touch her face in sheer disbelief. For a moment she dared hope that she'd was merely suffering a eye hemorrhage from strain, that the slit was an optical illusion or some fault in the mirror, but as she watched the red slowly faded away, her eye returning to a normal white. Even with aura such a thing wasn't possible. The catlike pupil remained for a few moments longer after the red had vanished, but it too faded away.

Her hand clenched and she bit her lip so hard the copper taste of blood filled her mouth.

She recognized that eye.

It was _his_.

A cold fury replaced the horror and uncertainty that had filled her mind. The kind of vicious determination that could only come from being cornered with no way out.

He wouldn't have her. Not like this.

She'd die first.

 _I am no ones toy. Not even yours._

 **Perhaps not.**

The voice slithered through her mind as it always did, but for once there was no mockery in its tone. If anything it sounded interested, even a little impressed.

 **But what does that make you, Cinder Fall?**

She didn't answer it as she stood and strode deeper into the castle's depths. She wasn't quite sure what she was now.

* * *

"Pyrrha, Yang keep it busy! Nora try to take out the legs!" Jaune shouted. His voice was filled with frustration. Judging by the shouts and general mayhem in the clearing everyone was frustrated. Even the Grimm seemed perturbed.. Normally when fighting a Grimm of this caliber he would have been more on edge, but this...

Ruby flickered by, her weapon gleaming with Anduriel's light-edge empowerment, the scythe cut through her enemy's form like butter and...

Nothing. Just like everything else!

Oh it caused damage alright. A huge section of stone simply fell away, but it was quickly replaced and the massive Grimm took it's focus off the blond brawler launching dust blasts at it to swat angrily at the little reaper. The thing was painfully slow, so slow he honestly doubted it was a real threat to them at all, but it just. Wouldn't. Die.

"Oh, come on!" He yelled as Blake cut an entire arm off only for the Grimm to replace it with a tree! What the heck was this thing?!

He turned to the resident game-breaker. "Anduriel, do something!"

A black spear immediately hurtled through the air, hit the stone Grimm dead center... and punched through it without the creature even noticing the damage.

"Do what Mr. Arc?" Their walking divine intervention was still calm, but the frustration showed through his words. "The beast is literally a rock."

Despite all his power, Anduriel was actually the most vulnerable of their group. One good hit could take him down since he lacked an Aura. They'd attempted more then once to unlock it for him, but it was so massive none of them could. Pyrrha had even taught him how to do it in hopes he, with the largest reserve amongst the group, could manage it, but he'd nearly pass out from the strain. Anduriel hadn't let them try again since.

The group decided to keep their friend in a support role for his own safety; providing cover with thrown spears, enhancing their weapons with light-edges, and warping them around the battlefield as needed. He was extremely effective at it. In a pinch he could "bend light" to become invisible, but it still left him vulnerable to accidentally getting caught in the cross fire. Instead he stayed visible so they'd know his position and one of them simply covered him. Generally, that was Ruby's job, but today Jaune was without a weapon. He was shouting orders and Anduriel was on support.

For all the good it was doing.

He groaned as someone lit the tree on fire with a blast of flame dust.

"Weiss?! Why?!"

"Oops?"

"Just great!"

"Nora dodge!" Jaune hollered. The girl in question ducking under the now flaming limb with a yelp.

Thankfully the Grimm was easily distracted when Ren opened fire from a nearby tree, drawing it's attention. Bullets pinged harmlessly off the creature's form...

Right until they got a little too close to the mask. It raised an arm to block the rest of the bullets. Jaune's eyes narrowed. It hadn't bothered blocking anything until that.

"The mask!" He roared. "Attack the mask!"

The group responded with gusto. Bullets of all types pelted the Grimm's face. Rifle rounds from Pyrrha and Ruby tore at the arms it was using to cover what seemed to be it's one weak point. Streams of low caliber dust chipped away at it's torso from Ren and Blake. Explosions flickered along it's upper body curtsy of Nora and Yang.

Still, it managed to lumber a few steps to the side, throwing off their aim and covering itself more effectively. It even managed to smash the tree Blake was perched in with it's shoulder.

"Weiss! The legs! Keep it from moving!"

A few seconds later a wave a glittering ice washed across the field and crawled up the Grimm's feet. Freezing the creature to the forest floor. It howled angrily, twisting it's body in a desperate attempt to break free. That wouldn't take it long, but they wouldn't need long.

"Yang, Nora!" Jaune yelled pointing at the defending limbs. "Knock it's arms clear!"

Explosions immediately staggered the mountainous behemoth. One arm was blown clean off from a trio of Nora's well placed grenades, while Yang's dust rounds knocked the fiery tree-limb out of it's defensive position.

Bullets instantly ate up the area surrounding the mask and the Grimm screamed. It flailed violently with it's remaining arm, lashing out all around it, but the hunters' refused to be deterred now that they had a target to exploit.

With a final shriek the entire construct seemed to simply fall apart. A smaller ghost like creature broke off from the collapsing mass and shot off toward the shadowy forest around them. If it made it to the trees they'd have to hunt it down all over again!

"Kill it!" Jaune barked.

Black and gold blurs arched through the air catching the Ghost Grimm in the chest and head. The creature didn't even get to make a sound as Milo and it's dark twin literally nailed it to a tree. The body began to fade away immediately.

The entire group let out various sounds in the wake of their victory. Weiss collapsed with a groan. Ruby, Nora, and Yang all yelled excitedly. Ren and Blake just sighed in relief, an action shared by Jaune.

Anduriel and Pyrrha were arguing over the kill shot.

"I got it in the head." She was pointing at the rapidly decaying corpse. "That obviously counts as mine."

"I am certain I hit it first, ergo, it's mine."

"You can't prove that!"

"You'll just have to take my word for it."

Pyrrha growled low in her throat and in a burst of motion the two were pressing mirrored gold and black blades toward the other. He'd be more concerned if it hadn't happened at least a dozen times since they set out. Something about Anduriel just hit Pyrrha's fight button. He was beginning to suspect Anduriel did it on purpose.

"They at it again?" The voice was unexpected and _right next to him_! He jumped and turned to find Ruby standing besides him.

"Don't do that to me!" He barked.

She just grinned up at him. She'd gotten taller in the few months they'd been gone. When they had left she was the same height as Weiss, now she was just the tiniest fraction taller, something she lorded over the Schnee constantly.

He was still the tallest in the group though, beating out Pyrrha by a literal inch. He was more proud of that then he really should be. Especially since Nora was the shortest of them by a few inches now and could throw any of them around like toys.

Ruby's new outfit, which had started off pristine had become travel worn over the months, holes in the leggings, a few rips in her cape and skirt. All of them had similarly worn cloths now though he, Ren, and Yang barely noticed as they had all gone with more durable and practical cloths. Pyrrha's armor and leather gear was still in good shape beyond a few dings it had taken and whatever Anduriel was wearing was apparently indestructible.

"Sorry~!" The girl next to him sing songed in a way that made it clear she was anything but.

There was a thump followed by an "oof" sound and they looked up just in time to lean to the side as Pyrrha went flying past them. A smug Anduriel stood on a low branch of a nearby tree.

"Mine." He said simply and turned away to hop down.

This proved to be a mistake as a golden flash passed back the same way it had flown and caught him low in the back midair. The two crashed to the earth in a tangle of thrashing limbs.

"Think we should stop them?" He asked uncertainly. He really doubted they'd hurt each other, but they might end up smashing a lot of trees if they started getting serious. He also didn't want to get pulled into the mess. It had happened more then once.

Ruby thought about it for a moment then turned back to the rest of the group. "Nora! Dogpile!"

There was a whoop followed by a white and pink blur as the two wrestling on the ground paused to process the words.

Nora Valkyrie smashed into them like a meteor sending all three spinning across the dirt. She cackled gleefully the entire time.

"Problem solve- ACK!" Ruby's self congratulations were interrupted by a playful flying tackle administered by her sister. The two tumbled to the ground, Yang laughing while a desperately flailing Ruby tried to squirm to freedom. "Jaune, help!"

"Yeah, no." He deadpanned.

"Weiss, Blake save me!"

Weiss didn't even look up from her scroll. "Busy."

Blake just made a dismissive humming sound.

"This is mutiny! Traitors!"

"You can't escape the victory snuggles Rubes!"

"Nooooooooo!"

He guessed that no matter how many things change, some will always stay the same. He only hoped they could have more moments like this.

* * *

Yang jerked awake and bolted upright, barely managing to smoother her scream. Her eyes searched frantically for a target that wasn't there. Her body tensed and ready to spring in any direction. For a few moments she didn't see the campsite or her friends sleeping forms, she just saw a white mask and the arc of a red sword.

She sat there in silence, panting and slowly coming down from the terrified adrenaline rush. Her eyes darted around the camp site, nobody had woken up at her outburst.

A small condolence that none of her friends could see how pathetic she was.

She growled at herself and slowly pulled herself out of her sleeping bag, trying to be as stealthy as possible. She silently cursed the quiet whirring sound of her arm which sounded deafening in the quiet forest night. She didn't want to deal with questions right now. Or ever.

She grumbled when she realized she was covered in sweat. Stupid nightmares. He wasn't here. He was gone. Even if he was they could crush him as a group.

That thought sent a surge of renewed fear through her system. The idea of fighting Adam again terrified her. The idea of her friends fighting him terrified. He'd taken her arm and stabbed Blake already. They'd gotten lucky. Or Adam had been feeling merciful.

She sighed as she wandered away, just far enough into the trees to be alone.

"It is dangerous for you to be separated while distracted like this."

She gave a small scream and whirled, Ember Celica deploying even as she spun. She unleashed a full force punch before she could even think to control herself.

Her fist and weapon smacked into Anduriel's open hand with rock shattering force. The impact rustle nearby leaves and she heard a few grumbles from the direction of camp.

"Ah." He muttered looking at the fist he had trapped. "Perhaps I should have announced myself first."

"I..." Yang trembled in shock, if that had been anyone else, besides maybe Pyrrha, she could of done serious damage. She could of killed someone with an attack like that if their guard was down. "I-I'm sorry I didn't..."

"My fault I believe." He responded smoothly, releasing her hand when no further attacks came. "I forget that hunters have ingrained combat reactions and should not be startled."

"No, well yes, but that..." She trailed off and scuffed a foot in the dirt. "Sorry." She finished lamely.

He shrugged. "Think nothing of it." She noticed his eyes glowed slightly in the dark, an eerie effect that let her see exactly were he was looking as he scanned the surrounding trees.

She couldn't believe she forgot about him being their sentry. Anduriel didn't sleep so he made the perfect night watchman. One of them generally stayed up to keep him company, but they had all been so burned after the Grimm hunt he'd offered to go it alone tonight.

"What are you doing out here Miss Xioa Long." He asked as he turned his attention back to her.

"Yang." She mumbled, her eyes slipping to the ground.

She didn't want to answer that. How could she explain to a god she, a grown woman and trained huntress, had a nightmare and couldn't sleep. It was ridiculous.

"Yang," He corrected himself, "What is wrong? You seem... distressed."

She shook her head. "Nothing. I-I'm fine."

He stared at her a long moment, those serpentine eyes boring into her. Then to her surprise he simply nodded. "Would you like to join me for the watch. At least, until you feel ready to rest for the night." As he spoke he turned and walked away not toward the camp, but toward a rock outcrop that overlooked it nearby. High ground, good vantage point.

She wouldn't be able to see jack up there, not in the dark like this, but that wasn't what he was doing. He was giving her time to recover without prying while still watching her back. She was thankful for that.

She followed him mutely and was vaguely amused when he crouched down like a gargoyle over looking the campsite. She sat down next to him without a word. For a long time they stayed like that, she shifted on occasion, but Anduriel didn't move a muscle. She had to glance at him occasionally just to make sure he was still there. After a while the silence got to her.

"Anduriel?"

"Yes?"

"Have you ever been afraid?"

His eyes turned to her in the dark, but she couldn't bring herself to meet them. She was too ashamed to.

"No." He spoke and the word crushed her. Of course not. He wouldn't be afraid. Neither would Ruby or Weiss or Blake or– "Not in the way you intend to ask at any rate."

She glanced up and saw he was gazing out into the surrounding forest.

"What's that mean?" She couldn't quite keep the bitterness out of her voice.

"You mean to ask if I have ever feared for myself. I have not. I have never encountered another being that could threaten me." He spoke quietly. There was no sense of bluster in the words, it was just a fact. "I have never had to fear for my existence for there has never been a foe I could not best. Even here I am untouchable. If this body is destroyed I will merely be cast out of this reality, but the truth of myself is beyond the reach of any force in Remnant."

That was actually kind of comforting. They were always worrying about him due to his lack of Aura, but knowing that even if he... died? Even if he died it wouldn't be the end for him was kind of nice in a morbid way.

"So you've never been afraid at all." She muttered morosely. She wasn't surprised really.

"Ah, I did not say that." He chuckled and she looked up in surprise as his glowing eyes turned to look down at the small camp. "I have never feared for myself, but since coming here I have felt fear. It wasn't the first time, but it was more... pronounced then I had experienced before."

"Of what?"

He glanced at her then back down to the camp. She traced his gaze and realized he was looking at Pyrrha. "Of failure." He said quietly. "That I had made a mistake in coming here. That I would not be strong enough in this limited form to uphold the promises I have made." He sighed. "Of loss."

"You're afraid for us." She whispered.

He hummed thoughtfully. "It is a new feeling. Not one I'm particularly taken with admittedly."

"I don't think anyone likes to be afraid." She drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. "I don't."

"What fears do you have, Yang?"

She paused, debating telling him or not. It didn't take long for her to make up her mind.

"Adam." She said simply and it was the very first time she let herself say that to anyone who wasn't a doctor.

"Ah." That was it. Nothing more. No prying, no questions. No disbelief or pity. Just acceptance. She hugged her legs tighter.

"He scares me." She admitted quietly. "I'm afraid to face him again. Afraid that if I don't Blake or Ruby or any of our friends will have to do it in my place. I'm afraid of what he's willing to do." She sucked in an unsteady breath. "I'm afraid the next time we meet one of us won't walk away and I'm not sure what scares me more that he'll kill me," She looked up into Anduriel's eyes, "or that I'll have to kill him."

"You fear the choices he represents: Let your friends face the monster, face it yourself and possibly fall to it, or become a monster in turn." There was no judgment in his words, no demeaning edge or doubt.

"Yes." She whispered.

He nodded, the movement of his eyes was the only way she knew. "You are ashamed of these fears. You feel you should _want_ to kill him. That his death should be your goal, both to avenge yourself and protect your loved ones."

"Yes."

"Perhaps you are right." Her head snapped up to look at him. "Yet I do not think so. You are many things Yang Xiao Long, but a killer is not among them. That is not a weakness, it is a strength, a choice to be better. Anyone can kill. It is easy. To be merciful isn't a fault."

"Even when it endangers others?" She asked bitterly. "If I have to make a choice and I can't?"

"If it comes to it I do not think you would hesitate." His eyes met hers in the dark. "If he forced your hand you would kill Adam Taurus."

She sucked in a breath of air and began trembling, but before she could respond he continued.

"But it would not be for revenge. Nor for hate. It would be to protect. To stop him from hurting others as he has hurt you. That is not the mindset of a monster. It is the mindset of a sister. Of a daughter. Of a friend."

"And if I'm not strong enough?"

"Then you have companions to lean on."

"This doesn't involve them!" She hissed.

He gave an unimpressed snort. "Does it not?" He asked flatly. "Do you think Blake will let him do as he pleases? Do you think your sister or teammates will let you face danger alone? We all have reasons, even if it is only your safety and happiness. Your reason is more personal, but do not dismiss ours out of hand."

She shook her head vigorously. "I don't want them to fight him! I don't want them to be where he can hurt them!"

"And they wish the same for you. That is the reason they will fight."

She paused, her anger failing her before it even began.

"Would you ask them to stand aside and let you suffer? Do you believe that would hurt them any less?"

She looked away. "At least they would be alright."

"Would they though? Would you be 'alright' if Ruby asked you to watch while she faced an overwhelming and deadly foe?"

"Of course not!" She snapped.

"Then why would you ask the same of them and expect any different?"

She bit her lip. She couldn't. She couldn't ask it of them, but she didn't want any of them anywhere near Adam.

"Have you so little faith in them?"

The question shocked her from her thoughts.

"Wha- what?!"

"You act as though they would fail if they faced Taurus."

"I- I just don't want..." She shook herself trying to straighten out her thoughts.

"You don't want them to be hurt." Anduriel spoke slowly. "But there is nothing saying Adam Taurus would be able to stand against them."

Her jaw hung open in surprise for a few moments before she managed to respond.

"What?! He's too strong!"

"Is he?" The question rocked her physically back. "You are stronger now then you were then. You have recovered and become far more then a mere student. You are a _Huntress_. So is your sister and your teammates. You are united in purpose and spirit which lends you all more strength then any of you alone possess. Have faith in that. Whatever strength Taurus has he stands alone and that will be his undoing."

"Alone?" She scoffed in disbelief. "He has the entire White Fang backing him up."

"Minions and sycophants." Anduriel dismissed. "Their loyalty is to an ideal, not to Adam himself. They will abandon him if it comes to that. No Taurus is alone." He turned to gaze at her once more. "But you are not."

She stared into his eyes for a moment before looking down at the camp. Her eyes trailed over the sleeping form of her friends before settling on Ruby.

"I'm not, am I?" She asked and somehow despite the fact it should have been obvious from the start, it was as if she had only just let herself acknowledge that.

For a long time neither of them said anything else until a yawn cracked her jaw.

She heard Anduriel rise. "Come, I believe you have stayed the watch with me long enough."

He held out his hand in the dark and she took it after a moments hesitation. As he hauled her to her feet she impulsively took a step forward and warped him in a hug. He reacted awkwardly as if he had no idea what was happening or how to respond, but she didn't care.

"Thanks." She whispered as she took a step back and jumped from the outcropping. She landed silently and began to stride tiredly back to her sleeping bag. She yawned again, but it didn't stop her from hearing his response.

"What are friends for?"

She slept soundly the rest of the night.

* * *

 **A/N**

My beta called Anduriel a "Word Wizard". I Have no idea what that means, but it sounds cool so we'll go with that.

Remember to drop a review if it so pleases you.


	8. Interlude: The Simple Solution

**The foolish tend to die rather suddenly.**

* * *

Iris smiled excitedly from the crowd as the group of hunters strolled through the town heading slowly in the general direction of the mayors residence. Next to her Aster was standing on her toes to see over the throng of people. She had heard about the traveling group of course, a lot of people had, though their location was surprisingly difficult to pin down. Everyone knew where they had been, but they popped up in seemingly random location across the Vale.

They were obviously zigzaggin to cover as much ground as possible and hit as many of the outlying towns as they could. At least that's what most people thought. Iris and a few others had a different theory. That they were avoiding something.

A group of nine hunters was almost unprecedented, the most she'd ever heard of before this moving as an organized unit was a team of five from Vacou. The sheer amount of firepower focused in place was so unusual that even some gossip columns from Atlas had commented on the group even before it was revealed who exactly they were. In the wake of Beacons fall these nine hunters and huntresses had started roaming the shocked Kingdom of Vale, fighting off elder Grimm and generally helping out for whatever food, shelter, or money was offered. Most outlying villages where ecstatic to see them even before they had become an international gossip topic. So much firepower willing to work for room and board meant the surrounding area was practically Grimm free by the time they moved on.

Supposedly they'd even managed to take down a pair of Goliaths.

That didn't really surprise anyone once they found out who exactly was in this group. Realizing who they were had taken a while, the loss of the CCT had crippled communication until Atlas managed to reroute everything through a capital ship stationed in Vale. Once they did though, vids of the group began popping up and it only took a quick glance for a few of it's members to be identified.

Pyrrha Nikos was the most famous, of course. The world renowned gladiator from Mistral was considered the best huntress of her generation, bar none. Her mere presence in the troupe was what drew initial attention.

Wiess Schnee, who if rumor was to be believed was on the run from her father at the moment, was probably the second most well known. At least until recently. The Huntress, singer, and heir-apparent to the SDC's fame had been eclipsed by the youngest member of their little group.

Ruby Rose, the youngest huntress to gain Beacon admittance in a nearly 20 years. She, along with Nikos and an unnamed Huntsman, was credited with bringing down the Grimm Dragon that had attacked Vale. A feat of prowess that nobody in recent history could match.

The Ancient Grimm was a thing of myth, a long lost legend of the past that nobody had really believed until it had started destroying buildings. Then three hunters had faced it in a climatic battle atop Beacon Tower, some said with the Headmaster who lost his life in the struggle fighting alongside them, and they'd managed to slay the legendary Grimm.

It really was no surprise the two known combatants were rocketed into the spotlight. Skilled hunters often made the rounds on CCT boards and there were entire news magazines dedicated to keeping tabs on the more popular ones.

The name Rose was just as famous as Nikos at this point and once the group popped up it was instantly on every hunter fan-site and news outlet's radar. The others had quickly been identified as their teammates from school, the one odd person out being a slightly older man who was theorized to be one of Nikos' trainers.

Their fighting styles had all been caught on vid several times while defending village walls and when they weren't moving faster then the cameras could follow the young man and Nikos had very similar combat styles according to hunters who were asked to comment on the footage. One weapon specialist in Atlas had even pointed out in an interview that the man used a weapon that appeared to either be the basis for or based on Milo's blade form though it didn't seem to be a mechashift weapon itself.

He was currently the running favorite for the third Hero with Nikos' new boytoy being a close second.

Strangely, nobody could find his name as he didn't have any noticeable emblem associated with him unlike most hunters. At first everyone had just called him The Blue Man for his rather unique long coat until first hand accounts pinned it down as Anduriel.

Now as Iris watched the group stop outside a supply store and several members disappear inside she knew an opportunity when she saw it. Grabbing Aster and pulling her forwards she fiddled with her camera with her free hand. If she could get a good picture of Nikos or Rose she could make a lot of money. She might even become famous herself if she got the right one. She grinned at the thought.

The crowd was breaking up now that most of the group was out of sight and the initial excitement of their appearance had burned down. They'd probably be in town for a week or so, plenty of time to get an eyeful later.

"Iris, this is a bad idea..." Aster hissed as she was pulled toward the shop.

"Come on, they can't keep us out, it's a store." She countered.

Her friend shook her head, but didn't resist. "For hunters, not for civilians."

She turned to look at the other girl with a cocky smile.

"Don't worry, we just got to slip in and get a quick-"

"The store is currently closed." A voice hissed out right in front of her.

Her head whipped back around so fast her neck popped. She came face to chest with a blue overcoat and white undershirt. Tilting her head back she stared into the crimson and gold eyes the huntsman named Anduriel had become noted for. She swallowed as a thrilled of terror shot down her spine, but she quickly rallied.

"It can't be closed, it's the middle of the day!"

"Sorry, kid," Another voice called out and she turned her head to see a young woman with the most beautiful blond hair Iris had ever seen walking up to them, "It's only down until we're done buying supplies. We've had problems with pushy fans in the last few towns and have decided not to take chances any more."

"What?!" She barked, trying to put as much falsified offense into her voice as possible. If she made a big enough deal out of this they might let them through just to avoid the headache. "You can't just keep people out of a store because folks want some autographs or pictures!"

"I believe we just did." The man hissed again. His voice was an odd combination of baritone rumble and whisper that somehow came out at normal volume.

The blond nodded. "Yep, pretty sure we did."

She growled and moved to simply push past the two. She felt Aster try to grab her, but ignored the other girl. This was an opportunity she wasn't missing!

A hand clamped down on her shoulder so hard she gasped. Her head swiveling up on pure reaction to look at which hunter had grabbed her. Red-gold eyes glared down at her balefully.

"You will remain outside. You will not bother my companions. This is your only warning." His tone of voice was the same, but the threat behind the words was clear.

He let her ago a moment later and she staggered back rubbing her shoulder. The blond just shook her head disapprovingly as she glared.

"You can't just-"

"You should get out of here." The Huntress, it had to be Rose's sister, snapped. "We really aren't in the mood for dealing with nosy fans or media right now."

"We have a right to know what-"

"You have no right to anything." The man growled darkly. "Leave or I'll dispose of you myself."

The blond girl flinched slightly and turned to whisper something to him. With a deep scowl he stepped back, but his eyes stayed locked on her.

"Listen," The Huntress sighed as she turned back to them, "We just got back from putting down a really nasty Grimm. We're tired, hurt, and still jumpy from the fight. That isn't a good combination when dealing with curious civilians. Give us some space, OK? It's better for everyone that way."

"Of course, Huntress," Aster whispered before Iris could say anything, dragging her friend back, "Sorry about this. She's just a... a _big_ fan."

"I'm sure." The other woman groused and put one hand on her hip, her eyes on the obviously expensive, high end camera around Iris' neck. She clearly didn't believe a word of it. "Look no hard feelings. Just don't bother us today, please."

"Of course. Again I'm sorry." Aster bowed slightly as she pulled them both back down the street. As they turned around they saw a few older folks from the village shaking their heads.

Idiots, they didn't know an opportunity when it showed itself.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Aster hissed.

"What's wrong with _me_?!" She growled back. "What's wrong with _you_?! That was the perfect opportunity to get some great pics of Rose or Nikos! Do you have any idea what those are worth right now?"

"Damnit, Iris, get your head out of your ass for a second! I thought that guy was going to _kill_ you! Didn't you see how he was looking at you?!"

She scoffed and waved a dismissive hand. "He's a Huntsman, they're not allowed to hurt civilians, he'd lose his license."

"His..." Aster threw her hands up. "His _license_?! Somehow I don't think a Huntsman just back from a nasty fight with the Grimm gives a shit about his license! He looked like he was going to rip your head off when you tried to shove past him!"

That made her pause and look closer at her friend. Aster was scared she realized. Like actually scared.

She swallowed thickly. "Your joking right?"

"No!" The other girl shook her head so fast it almost blurred. "Dust, Iris I've never seen anyone look so scary before, I have no idea how you didn't notice."

"I guess I was just too focused on getting a good payout." She muttered.

"No kidding?" Aster mocked and grabbed her hand. "Come on let's get out of here."

Iris nodded and let her friend pull her away. She threw one last look over her shoulder and stumbled.

The man was still glaring at her and now she did notice how terrifying he looked. She snapped her back forward. She was going to have nightmares about those eyes for weeks.

* * *

"Why are we here?!" Aster hissed. "Seriously, this is worse then-!"

"Oh be quiet for a second would you, just give me a boost." Iris snapped back.

The other girl shook her head. "This is going to far! It's breaking and entering at the least! This isn't what I thought you were talking about when you asked for my help!"

It was late, well past midnight and the pair were outside the fenced in back are of only inn the small town had. Unless the hunter team was roughing it in the woods they were here. It was the perfect opportunity.

"What did you think I meant when I said we were going to go score?"

"I thought we were going to a bar or something to pick up guys!"

She scoffed. Of course Aster thought that. "Would you stop worrying."

She just needed a pic of the team relaxing. Oh, man maybe she could catch something sexy or raunchy! How much money would a pick of Nikos in her underwear be worth? A few grand at least!

Iris was practically salivating at the thought. "Just get me over the fence, I'll take care of the rest."

Aster sighed and took a step forward. "Seriously this is the dumbest thing you've ever convinced me to –"

Her friend's complaint cut of with a stomach turning squelch as a black blur passed over Iris' shoulder and embedded itself in Aster's neck. For a stunned second neither girl reacted. Aster reached up with one trembling hand to touch the crystalline black spear in her throat then collapsed soundlessly like a puppet with its strings cut.

Iris spun in the direction the weapon had come from a scream already rising in her throat only for a hand to clamp itself over her jaw and yank her a foot into the air. She flailed wildly in pure terror, feet kicking out and hands clawing at the arm holding her. She might as well have been attacking a stone.

Tears fell from her eyes as she stared down into their attacker's face.

Into red-gold viper eyes that glimmered hateful in the darkness.

"I did warn you."

The hand tightened and something inside her broke. Her body went limp as the world bled red. Then everything went dark.

* * *

Anduriel dropped the lifeless husk with a small sneer. A short exertion of power caused the annoyance's corpse to shatter like glass as it hit the ground. The matter that made up the human's form simply coming undone at a molecular level leaving nothing behind.

He repeated the process on the other body. That one wasn't quite dead yet and her body convulsed as it was torn asunder atom by atom. The creature's brain simply hadn't shut down yet despite the fatal injury. A rather unfortunate quirk of their biology.

A searching glance over the alley revealed no trace of the wretched things or any other vermin in need of extermination. Deciding the problem was solved he turned back to his companion's temporary lodgings. A quick bend in the fabric of reality and a single step deposited him on the other side of the high fence. He strode towards building to resume his watch when Yang Xiao Long came around one of the corners and called out to him.

"There you are," She pointed accusingly as she approached, "I've been looking for you! Were did you wander off to?"

A quick glance showed she was much more at ease then she had been a few nights ago. He was pleased he managed to help her. Her fears about Adam Taurus ran deep, but he was confident she would overcome them given time. If he could help her with that he would.

"Dealing with some pests." He responded.

She cocked an eyebrow, a motion he had come to associate with silent inquiry.

He decided to elaborate. "The two humans from earlier attempted to sneak in for some clandestine photos."

"The pushy ones?" Yang Xiao Long growled. "They still around? That's a step too far, we should haul them to the local cops."

"That won't be necessary." He shook his head. "I've taken care of it."

She hesitated a moment, obviously thinking about jumping the fence and searching for any vermin lurking in the dark, but ultimately decided against it with a shrug. "If you say so. If they try it again though we're taken them to the cops."

"I don't think that will be a problem. I made the gravity of the situation quite clear."

"Right well I'm going bed," She muttered around a yawn, "Just wanted to tell you Ren will be up inside for first watch if you get bored. See you in the morning, Andy."

She waved tiredly as she sauntered back through the door. He didn't comment on the name. Nicknames were apparently something of a common sign of affection for her. He noted his could have been much worse. Jaune Arc still cringed when she called him "lover-boy" and "Rubes" apparently sounded deeming even to the normally easy going Ruby Rose.

He glanced around the yard then created a bend that let him step onto the roof.

He observed the town in silence for the rest of the night.

* * *

 **A/N**

No, this isn't suppose to be justified or seen as ok. This is a reminder. A wake up call in case anyone has forgotten what we're dealing with.

Always remember what Anduriel told Cinder: He'd burn the world and every man, woman and child in it to ashes if he thought it would keep those he is protecting safe. Pyrrha's first impression of him was also that he was a horror beyond imaging and she wasn't wrong in that assessment. Just because the monster is your friend doesn't mean it's suddenly stopped being a monster. It just means you now have the responsibility of holding the leash.

This is just an interlude. A little side story I didn't know how to work into the main story, so I figured I could present it as a stand alone. Not sure if their will be more of these or not. Adieu.


	9. The Brink

**One moment. That is all takes. One single instant in time that can ruin all you hold dear. One day you will stand at that edge, in that moment you will have a choice. Press on or retreat. Forward or back. No matter your choice, nothing will ever be the same. For in that moment the truth of yourself is revealed. And the truth of those who stand with you...**

* * *

Pyrrha smiled as Jaune pulled his improved weapon out and jokingly flourished it. The new dust enhanced metals, the same kind that made up her own weapon and armor, glimmered brightly in the sunlight that shone through the blacksmith shop's windows.

Crocea Mors was an ancient weapon. Simple in design yet nearly peerless in that simplicity. It was, as Ruby would say, a literal classic. She didn't think any sword could really match it, not even her own Miló **.** Yet all weapons could become more, even something as grand as Crocea Mors.

"The metal you brought me is something else." The smith, a Mr. Brigins who was renowned in these parts for his skill, spoke happily. "Nothing compared to that sword though. Hard to improve upon something of that quality, but I think you'll be happy with it."

"Oh, I'm loving it already." Jaune muttered and gave it a test swing. He grinned up at the tall faunus. "Did you manage to get the two-hand transformation working?"

"Ha! Course I did." He pointed to the collapsed shield on Jaune's hip. "Just sheath it, hit the button, and..." Jaune did as instructed as the man spoke, there was a low clank noise and when he pulled the weapon up the sheath came with it expanding into a much longer, heavier blade. "Voila!"

At a glance she knew that the new addition was something she wouldn't be able to use properly. She was too much of a finesse fighter to manage the extra weight the new mode added, but it would give Jaune more reach and against some of the bigger Grimm they'd been encountering lately it would make his attacks much more lethal.

"Awesome." Jaune muttered in awe then looked to her with a big goofy grin. "Pyrrha, isn't it awesome!?"

She stifled a giggle, but managed to nod. "It's very impressive."

"You sure you want me to keep the extra metal?" The smith asked rubbing the back of his head. "I still got about a third of it left, it has to be pretty expansive given it's quality and all the dust woven in it."

"Ah, uh you'll have to talk to Pyrrha about that, it's hers, but we can't really take it with us..."

Pyrrha nodded and bowed at the waist. "Please consider it a gift for a job well done."

"Ah heh, come on now, you'll make an old man blush." He coughed. "Least I could do anyways after all you've done for us. What is it though, I've never seen the like before and I've been working metals since I was five."

"It's a composite metal alloy woven heavily with gravity dust. The dust makes it extremely durable and makes it much lighter along with adding impact resistance." She held out Miló which was composed mostly of the same alloy. "I don't know what exactly it's made of, but the company that created it exclusively supplies Mistral's hunters and only the best can usually afford it. I don't think it's ever been successfully copied by anyone else."

She pointed out the window where Ruby and Yang could be seen talking. "Ruby's Crescent Rose is made of something similar, though it's an alloy she made herself apparently and uses Air dust instead to reduce friction and wind drag."

The smith looked surprised by that and glanced out the window at the youngest member of their group. She couldn't really blame him as her young friend never really stopped surprising her either. While she knew the girl had designed and built Crescent Rose herself, she never imagined she had actually gone so far as to formulate her own metal alloy for it. Most of it's internal components were standard high grade titanium, but the entire outer shell and blade were all "Rose Steel" as Ruby called it. She used a metallurgy company to actually manufacture it obviously, but she owned the patent for it and had created it herself.

Pyrrha had come to accept that when it came to all things weapon related Ruby was a prodigy in the same way she herself was at combat. It really was no surprise that Ruby got into Beacon two years early.

"Do you think she'd be willing to sell me some?" He asked seriously.

"We'll ask her for you if you want." Jaune offered as he transformed his weapon back into a sheathed sword. "I don't see why she wouldn't, she'd probably be excited to share."

"Please, I would appreciate it. If it's even half as good as the stuff you gave me it's worth more then gold to a smith like me."

"We will. Take care!" Jaune waved and she gave another quick bow before following after him with a smile.

As they walked out of the shop she gently brushed up against his shoulder. The little contact sent a small thrill down her spine and she smiled at him when he responded by throwing an arm around her shoulders.

They were going out later to celebrate his weapon upgrade. Their fifth date. Oooohh, she couldn't wait! They were just going to a small diner in the village, but she hardly cared. She was going out with her boyfriend. _Her boyfriend._ Even after several months being together just the thought made her happily giddy.

She giggled to herself and squirmed slightly trying to press herself in closer to him without tripping them up. Jaune flashed her an amused grin, but didn't comment. He'd quickly discovered that Pyrrha Nikos, Champion and Prodigy of Mistral, was a cuddlebug and literally couldn't keep herself from getting as much physical contact as possible. No one had been more surprised by that then herself, but it felt good to lean on him and touch him and...

Cutting that line of thought off. They hadn't gotten that far yet.

She felt the exact moment Anduriel took note of their exiting the smithy and waved in his direction without looking. She knew she received a nod in return before he went back to conversing with Ren about something dealing with Aura. If she focused she could of known what they were saying, but she wasn't interested right now.

That had been a rather frightening development recently when she realized that she could feel Anduriel's mind almost as well as he could hers. It had scared her, both because she wasn't sure how he would react and because his thoughts were so alien. While she'd never been inside another person's mind before she knew it would be nothing like Anduriel's.

He thought about thousands of things at once, something she discovered during a spar when she tried to use their connection to her advantage to figure out his strategy. To her horror he had a separate thought process going for literally every action she could of taken. From every movement of her limbs, to every aspect of her semblance. He was literally thinking about everything she could of done, what that would lead to, and how best to counter it. The sheer amount of information going through his head completely overwhelmed her and she'd fainted on the spot.

The experience had honestly made her afraid seeing into his mind might drive her insane.

Thankfully, he hadn't been at all upset with, he'd actually been confused about why she would even think that, and had helped her figure out the limits of their connection as well as how to shut it down if she wanted. He could still power through any block she put up if he needed to, but if she wanted some alone time she could get it now.

She turned it off far less then one would expect as she found the presence of his mind rather comforting most of time. If Anduriel's soul was a sea then his mind was a mountain, utterly unbending and eternal. A literal rock to anchor herself on whenever she was stressed.

They'd been following his guidance, retracing the steps that Team RNJR would of taken. The road to Haven. The road to a traitor and a battle that would decide their course for the future. After this Anduriel's knowledge of the future would be spent and they'll be on their own. He also made sure they knew he was no longer certain events would play out at all like they had before.

As Jaune and Ruby had both pointed out though Haven had to be dealt with. They couldn't let someone like Lionheart remain in his position of power.

None of them were sure how that would play out though. Already Anduriel had noted changes, the sheer amount of attention they were receiving was one of the biggest. That was something that worried them all. They were being tracked by the media which meant anyone that was looking for them had only to glance at a news site. To counter that they tried to make their movements seem mostly random. It wasn't full proof, but it would slow anyone trying to track them down.

A less worrying change was that Ruby was famous now, as famous as her or Weiss at this point, for her part in slaying the Grimm Dragon.

The first time someone had asked for her autograph, a little girl in the fifth village they had stopped at, Ruby nearly died from a combination of embarrassment and excitement. When said little girl had told Ruby she was her favorite super hero they nearly had to get a pry-bar to pull them apart.

Yang had taken to calling them Team Celebrity Escort as a joke. Considering how much time the others spent fending off media at this point it was becoming far less of a joke then they would like.

Speaking of Ruby, the teams resident scythe expert suddenly appeared in front of the two with wide excited eyes.

"Is it done? Did you get?! Let me see it! Lemmesee!" Ruby practically vibrated with pent up energy. Jaune staggered back in surprise and the younger girl followed him. Pyrrha just laughed as Ruby nearly pounced on Jaune to get a look at his improved weapon.

"Just gimme a sec!" He fended her off with one hand while the other fumbled at Crocea Mors' hilt. "Little help here!?"

Snickering Pyrrha snagged Ruby by the hood and drew her back into a hug, draping her arms over Ruby's shoulders and pulling her back. "Nnnooo, lemmeseeit!"

"Phew, thank you." Jaune sagged in relief.

"If you don't hurry I'll let her go." She grinned at the panicked betrayal that crossed his his face at that.

He drew his new blade as quickly as he could then deployed the shield. To her amusement he dropped into a defensive stance.

"Alright..." He said uncertainly.

She hummed in thought, but rather then release the struggling girl in her arms she bent down slightly to speak in her ear.

"Do you want to see the new shiny sword, Ruby?" Pyrrha teased.

Jaune raised a quizzical eyebrow at her.

The girl stilled then nodded rapidly. "Yes. Yesyesyesyes!"

"He doesn't want you to see the sword, Ruby."

She just barely stopped from laughing as a low growl actually came from the younger girl. She sounded amazingly like an angry puppy.

Jaune's expression turned horrified. "Wait, what?! No! Ruby, you can see the sword!"

"He's lying~." She sing-songed with a grin.

Jaune took one look at whatever face Ruby was making and immediately turned tail to flee. He had the composure to re-sheath his weapon so he could focus on escaping.

Pyrrha smiled. It wouldn't help in the least.

"Go get the sword, Ruby!" She laughed and let the smaller girl go.

She disappeared in a burst of petals and reappeared on Jaune's back, the two tumbling head over heels as the young leader of RWBY gave a cute little war cry. Her boyfriend's shriek of fear was also cute. Laughter drew her eyes to her left where Yang was standing.

"Oh, dust that was so mean!" She gasped out as she bent double and held her sides. "Oh, man! It hurts, but I can't stop! H-help!"

Pyrrha snicker along with her. Off to the side she could see Nora rolling about on the ground in her own fit of laughter while Weiss was shaking her head as she strode toward their downed team leaders.

* * *

Ren had come to accept that he understood very little of how the world worked ever since he met the man that saved Pyrrha's life.

And Anduriel was a man, of that he didn't doubt. Whatever else he was, however much grander then them, he was ultimately much the same. He bleed, he worried, he laughed, he trained, and he tired like any other. That he did those things on a greater scale mattered little in the end. Being more didn't make him beyond understanding, just different.

Anduriel's existence was a mystery, an enigma, that he could just barely grasp. He'd never fully understand. He knew that. Still it was a mystery he enjoyed pondering on occasion.

He stopped mid sentence as the man in question turned slightly from their conversation. Ren followed his gaze and found his teammates leaving the blacksmith's forge. The fact that Pyrrha waved in their direction without ever even glancing their way didn't surprise him. Her an Anduriel's awareness of each other was preternatural to the point that they could speak without saying anything.

He wondered what that was like sometimes. Did it feel invasive to have another being in your mind? Was it comforting? Overwhelming perhaps?

He'd probably never know himself and that was fine. It just gave him something else to think on.

"Apologies." Anduriel said as he turned back, "You were saying?"

Ren nodded, "Merely that I find it interesting that we still can't unlock your aura. Pyrrha is certain you have a soul."

"I do." The other man confirmed. "Pyrrha can use it to enhance her own abilities. The only explanation I can come up with is that my soul is 'too much' for your own to unlock."

Ren crossed his arms as he considered that. As the groups resident expert on Aura the fact that they couldn't unlock Anduriel's soul irked him greatly. That he had no explanation for that only made it worse.

"That doesn't make any sense." Ren denied after a moments thought. "While it's true unlocking someones Aura is taxing the size of the Aura doesn't matter. The worse case scenario is that someones semblance unlocks with it and does something unexpectedly dangerous."

"Then..." The other man paused thinking on it more. Finally he shook his head. "Then I have no explanation at all. Perhaps for humans and faunus the difference between even the largest souls is negligible?"

He hummed as he thought on that for a few moments. This was perhaps the thing he appreciated most about Pyrrha guardian, his sheer patience. He never seemed to hurry or care for the passage of time. It drove the others mad sometimes, but Ren enjoyed it. He never felt pressured when conversing with the older man.

The fact that he would freely admit when he was in the dark was also a welcome releif. There was no bluster or false pride in Anduriel. He was what he was and knew what he knew, nothing more nothing less. It was gratifying to speak with someone who hid so little of their faults.

"That's possible I suppose. According to Pyrrha your soul is titanic." She'd specifically compared Anduriel's soul to the sea. "Still it shouldn't matter." An idea struck him suddenly. "Perhaps it's a matter of quality rather then quantity?"

Anduriel's cat like eyes sharpened suddenly, something Ren had come to notice meant he was particularly focused. "Explain."

"I believe you already make use of your soul in much of what you do." He hedged. "You control time and space with feats of will rather then physical effort correct?"

"That is the best way to describe it, yes."

"Then it's safe to assume your soul is already refined since unlike a normal person you've been actively using it already." Ren looked up at the stormy gray sky in thought. "It would explain why we're having so much trouble activating your soul."  
"Because it is, in a sense, already active, merely being put to different use." The other man nodded. "That is a possibility I had not considered."

Ren shook his head. "That raises a new problem. I have no idea how to go about activating a soul that is already for all intents active. Unlocking someone's Aura is normally like uncovering a gem beneath layers of rock, but yours is already laid bare. The problem is that it's manifested in a different direction then ours."

"I will think on the possibilities." Anduriel's voice was thoughtful as he turned and began to stride toward were the others had gathered Ren moving to follow him. "Perhaps I merely need to train myself in projecting my soul as you do. I will consult Pyrrha on the matter as well. If nothing else it might allow me greater control of my existing capabilities."

"I would be more then willing to assist."

"It would be greatly appreciated."

* * *

It would probably surprise no one to know Wiess Schnee hated traveling by foot. What might surprise people is what about it bothered her.

It wasn't the difficulty, at least not in this case. With so many hands around, most of which were Aura enhanced, moving and setting up camp was easy.

It wasn't the dirt, bugs, and general chaos of nature. That was annoying, but she had dealt with worse. Like trying to get Yang out of the bathroom at 7:30 so the rest of them could actually shower.

It wasn't even the amount of time it took. She got to spend that with her friends and the sheer diversity of personalities in their little group kept things entertaining.

No what bothered her was the ever present threat of Grimm. Even with Anduriel's ever watchful eye at night she just couldn't sleep well out in the wilds. Regardless once daylight came and they started moving she found herself enjoying all the traveling. If someone had told her she'd enjoy walking around Remant with a troupe of Hunters a few years ago she would of laughed. Now it just seemed natural.

As they strode down the road toward the next village though she found herself listening in on Ren and Anduriel talking about Aura, specifically unlocking Anduriel's.

She'd thought they'd given up on that when Jaune had passed out and needed nearly an entire day of sleep to recover.

"I have thought more on your suggestion, by the way."

"Oh?"

"Indeed, I have decided it has merit. Especailly since no other logical explanation seems to apply. Not from what we know of Aura's functions at any rate."

Ren hummed in response. "And have you thought of any way around it?"

"No." The other man shook his head and spread his hands with a dramatic shrug. "If my soul is active and simply being used to other purposes as you suggest then I believe utilizing it as Hunters do would merely be a matter of training."

"The issue is we have no idea how to go about it..."

"Precisely."

"It would be best if we could actually be sure your soul is active beyond mere theory, but-"

"Have you tried an Aura reader?" She injected without thinking.

She managed to keep from flinching when both men looked back at her for an explanation. Schnee do not cower so she powered on.

"If he can activate an Aura powered machine or meter that would prove his soul is awake. People without Aura can't use them." She pointed out.

"I don't have Aura, Miss Schnee."

"No, but if your soul is already awake it should work anyways." She went into lecture mode. "Aura is a matter of training, it isn't natural, but it's one of the first things basic prep-combat schools teach so most of us forget we originally couldn't control Aura even with our souls awakened. Some people like Jaune are lucky enough to get the concept almost instinctively, but most of us spend a few months developing the ability to project the active field. Machines that run on or measure Aura don't actually require an active Aura field to function, they merely take the energy inherit in an awakened soul and use it as a power source. So even if you can't project an active Aura you should still be able to power any Aura based machine provided your soul is awake."

They both paused at that and glanced at one another then back to her.

"I feel I should of known that about Aura machines," Ren said slowly, "But I didn't. Are you sure of your information?"

Weiss scoffed and nodded. "The SDC is the leading manufacturer of Dust and Aura based technology. I've sat through more lectures on their function then I care to remember and I've been forced to listen to several engineers go in depth on how they work. I'm completely confident that if your soul," She glanced at Anduriel with a nod, "is awake then they will function for you."

"That has potential. Perhaps if we find a-" He cut off as Weiss held her scroll out to him. "What?"

"Hunter model scrolls like ours all have built in Aura readers. Just hold it for a second while I get it to configure for a new user and we'll know soon enough."

"Very well." Anduriel took the scroll as if he had no idea at all what it was or how it worked.

She realized he likely didn't as she began going through menus to find the detector and clear it for a new user. The thought that he was flummoxed by such a simple thing as a scroll amused her quite a bit.

"How long does-?"

"What is that?" The sheer surprise in the question caused all three to look up.

It was Ruby and it took only a moment for them to see what had drawn her attention. There in the direction they were walking and drifting in a huge cloud over the surrounding terrain...

"Smoke..." Ren whispered.

"That's... that's far to much for a camp fire or chimney. Is it forest fire?"

"No." Anduriel's voice was a harsh whisper. He stared for a moment then shoved her scroll back into her hands. "The village is under attack."

"What?!"

He took off at a sprint without answering leaving them all behind.

"Wa-wait!" Ruby blitzed off after him and with a curse Pyrrha followed.

Blake and Yang shouted something she didn't catch as they too sprinted toward the distant column of smoke and whatever lay beneath it.

Ren turned to look at her then nodded resolutely as he drew his weapons and moved to follow them, Nora falling in with him.

Weiss moved to put her scroll away, but paused as the data on screen caught her attention.

The Aura meter was off the charts, the readings so high they had maxed out the numeric counter. It had been gauging percentages based on her own Aura information as she hadn't had time to reconfigure it and it was currently sitting at 9999%. She stared at it in complete shock. If this was accurate...

"Weiss, come on!" Jaune's voice broke her from the spell and she looked up with a start. He'd drawn his weapon and was waiting for her. A group decision they'd made months ago that nobody was ever to be left alone in a combat situation keeping him in place waiting for her instead of following the others.

"R-right!" She put the scroll away and drew Myrtenaster.

She had more pressing things to worry about at the moment.

* * *

A/N

Well, there's your first numerical glance at Anduriel's power compared to a RWBY character.

Also I've decided I'm going to try to keep a once a month update schedule for now. Doing more then that just isn't feasible for my current workload. Until next time enjoy this evil thing known as a cliffhanger.


	10. The Fall

**Killing is easy. Mercy requires strength. These are truths. Yet there is no mercy to be found in monsters or beasts. Those who live as either should expect none themselves.**

* * *

He moved forward with as much speed as his form could safely muster. One step, bend the fabric of the world, step through, repeat. Just enough time to safely acquire a distance then fold, step through and acquire the next.

Ruby was the fastest of them by far, but even she couldn't keep up with him like this, not while he covered hundreds of meters every step. If the village had any hope of survival he knew it lay almost exclusively with him. Their lives meant nothing, but Pyrrha had charged him with upholding her sense of justice.

 _To fight the darkness of the world._

He would obey in word and spirit. What good was a deal if he would not keep it or attempted to corrupt it?

So he charged forth. Unheeding of Ruby's fading cry to wait. He blocked out Pyrrha's mental demands he come back. Their warnings were unnecessary. If anyone's life was at risk here it was not his.

The village appeared in his sight as he crested a hill. He could see over the walls meant to deter Grimm from his vantage point. They had done nothing to stop the bandits that had simply blown a section of the wall away.

Fire consuming houses. Humans and faunus running in panic. Others rushed, but more coordinated. The attackers, he assumed. Their weapons flashing in the orange light of the fires.

He reevaluated his options. Their sheer numbers would make it a risk, however minor, to go in alone. The children would be displeased with him if he did. He calculated times. Three minutes until Ruby reached them. Five more for the others.

Would anything be left by then? Would the attackers still even be present?

His eyes focused on a young woman who burst from a house near what was likely the villages town square. A large man wielding a blade charge from the building after her. She was fast, but panicked. She barely made it seven steps before she staggered and fell. To her credit she recovered quickly, rolled to her knees to rise, but the man was already standing over her sword raised with both hands to strike. He saw her scream and raise her own arms to block. An effort he knew would be futile.

There was no time.

The world twisted as he lunged. Calculations passed his mind even as Pyrrha Nikos' sword appeared in his fingers, pure energy condensed into a crystalline form and glimmering with the very fabric of reality bent into a two dimensional edge.

The woman's scream was behind him. His blade caught the bandits arms just above the elbow as the man swung down to kill her and passed through as if he was made of air. It continued on through the limbs and into his torso sliding out the other side without resistance even as he continued past the thief without slowing. He zeroed in on the next closest bandit and rushed the man hoping to remove two threats before they even noticed he was present.

The wretch he had slain had just enough time to register that he had been attacked before his arms fell off and his entire upper body split in half at chest level. The man fell in pieces with a spray of blood and a gurgling scream. The young woman shrieked and scrambled away disappearing out of sight down an alley.

Others turned, the sound drawing their attention. The one he had made a beeline for raised his weapon to block the black blade already heading for his throat. The two dimensional edge cut the steel weapon in half and cleaved the bandit's head from his shoulders so cleanly that for a moment he stood still then collapsed, skull rolling from the corpse as it hit the street.

Another raised a weapon, a fire arm, and pulled the trigger. Bullets snapped through the air and he twisted the space around himself so that they simply slid to the sides. He spun, a spear appearing in his hand even as his sword carved opened a woman that had tried to blindside him from her left hip to her right shoulder. He ignored the spray of blood and viscera and threw the spear at the firearm wielding bandit. The man threw himself to the side and the black blur merely impaled his shoulder to the flaming wall behind him rather then take his heart as had been intended.

He shrieked, weapon falling from his fingers and he gripped the spear that had nailed him to the burning house, the flames already slowly eating their way through his aura. The man's death would be slow, but he would be dead all the same. The how mattered little to him.

More bandits sprinted around a corner and paused to stare in shock. His mind registered six new targets.

Pressure. He remembered Pyrrha's advice about facing multiple foes. Keep them pressured. Don't let them recover or organize.

He created a bend that let him step out of the space in their midst sword swinging low even as another spear jabbed at the single opponent that had twisted to face him. Two of the men fell, their legs missing below the knees.

The young woman who had been leading them brought her weapons up, strange bladed guns of some kind, hooking onto the spear's haft and dragging the lethal tip down into the ground. He let his momentum carry him through a partial rotation, using the now planted spear to balance, one foot lashing out to knock the single skilled combatant away with a powerful kick. Her aura kept her bones from shattering, but didn't stop her from flying away from her comrades.

His blade came around and caught two of the three remaining bandits in a downward cut. The black sword carving through one man's shoulder and chest before passing through the waist of the woman next to him and emerging from her hip.

As the two fell he recovered his footing and he used it to propel himself toward the group's leader in a flip that avoided the machete like blade that the last bandit behind him swung at his exposed back, throwing the spear at the man and impaling him to the street through his gut.

He landing behind the woman he had kicked away just as she came to her feet and was surprised when the girl spun about and threw her left hand weapon at him. He use the flat of his sword to smack the thing away only to be forced to leap back further when her other weapon fired a large beam of concentrated energy at him.

He landed once more a short distance off and sensed a lag in the battle. Others had come to join the fray, but appeared reluctant to actually engage him. The young woman kept her eyes and remaining gun on him as she shuffled to the side and picked up the one he had deflected.

"Who the fuck are you?!" She snarled furiously as both firearms trained on him.

He didn't respond. There was no point in engaging this wretched thing with words. He would exterminate her and this entire pathetic infestation.

"Answer me you-!"

He darted towards her, the weapons discharged. Twin blazing beams of light burning brighter then even the mid-day star far above them. He twisted spinning into the air as the beams passed just beneath him. He was on her before she could bring her weapons back on target. His sword flickered out and he was again surprised when rather then block she threw herself away.

She had apparently guessed or feared that his weapon couldn't be stopped by mundane means. It did not save her left hand weapon though. The metal of the blade and firearm's barrel clattered to the ground in useless chunks as his opponent rolled back to her feet.

"You fucking, bastard!" She snarled and lobbed the now useless hunk of steel at him.

Like the first time he batted it aside, but this time he responded by sending spear flying in her direction.

It missed of course, but he had been aiming at the man aiming a rifle standing several meters behind her. The fool fell with a bloody gurgle as it punched a hole in his chest and continued into the house behind him.

He twisted away as bullets peppered the ground he had been standing on. Another twist in reality dropped him behind a group of three who he relieve of their heads before they even registered he was there.

The young woman, the only real threat the bandits had brought forth so far beyond sheer numbers, came at him from the side. Her weapon already on a downward cut and her other hand reaching out to catch his sword arm for when he tried to block.

So he didn't try.

His own empty hand snapped up and caught the curved blade between his fingers, the metal dented under the pressure the slim digits placed it under. The cutting edge bit into his palm, but did no serious damage as his sheer strength robbed it of momentum. His sword flashed for the girl's now horrified face.

She pivoted on a foot, releasing her weapon and lashing out with the other leg to catch him in the side of the knee with her heel. The unexpected attack threw his aim off terribly and rather then slice her skull in half as he had intended his attack merely sliced open her left cheek and cut the lower portion of her ear off.

She scrabbled backwards, pain and fear causing her to loses all semblance of composure.

His own irritation at having been struck focused his ire on her for a moment as another spear appear in his hands. He braced to throw, the girl wasn't even looking at him and couldn't possibly dodge.

The weapon blurred through the air. Another bandit cried out a warning, but all it did was cause her to turn back and stare in horror at onrushing death.

Just as he was about to dismiss her as neutralized another blur of black and red intercepted the spear and shattered it completely. The broken shards of the weapon faded away like smoke as they struck the ground.

The new warrior landed between them coiled and ready to attack. One hand rested on a sheathed blade. A white Grimm mask regarded him menacingly.

"Raven." The girl breathed, relief and fear in equal measure.

"Vernal." The mask she worn distorted her voice, but didn't hide the cold fury. "Fall back."

"B-but, Raven he-"

"Is too much for you. Now fall back, you're in the way. All of you!"

"Now why in the world would I ever let them do that?" As he asked this he darted away and to the side, straight for a group of five that had turned to flee. The first died before they even noticed he was coming for them, Raven Branwen's shout of warning not nearly fast enough to save the older man he cleaved into two symmetrical parts.

He lashed out with his left hand, creating a a dark mirror of Crocea Mors mid swing he caught a younger man in the waist even as the boy tried to scramble away. He leapt back, leaving his weapon buried in the screaming youth's guts to bleed out as the bandit leader came up behind him with a furious shriek.

He landed back in the center of the street surrounded by enemies and the corpses of those who had been enemies. No one was willing to take their eyes off him this time. Weapons shifted, unsure, but unwilling to draw the ire of an opponent so far out of their league. They may have thought of themselves as wolves among sheep, but they knew a greater predator stood before them now.

Pathetic primitive creatures. Literally the worst aspects of their entire species. He had gotten so use to being around some of the best the human and faunus races had to offer that he had forgotten how retched some of them could be. Disgusting.

"So this is the Branwen tribe." He spoke conversationally. There was no need to be rude and this tense stillness practically begged to be filled with conversation. No matter his distaste at the thought. "I had thought so, but well, it's somewhat difficult to tell one group of cockroaches from another you understand."

Perhaps a little rudeness. He just couldn't quite cover his distaste. Parasites, all of them.

Raven Branwen growled, but didn't immediately attack him. Disappointing. They really were going to force him to speak with them weren't they?

"Who. Are. You." She ground out. If hate could kill surely even he would be struck dead by the pure vitriol in her voice.

"Oh, no one of any consequence I assure you. I was merely in the area and noticed your little," His lips twisted into a sneer, "outing. I decided to join the fun. It only seemed sporting you understand."

"You considering this- this massacre sporting?"

"What's that saying? Pot meet kettle? The irony is thick here."

"We don't slaughter people!" She ground out.

He cocked an eyebrow at her and risked glancing at his first kill. "Your man over there was about to kill a young woman. It's what drove me to action."

"Then she was resisting."

"Resisting the unlawful appropriation of her hard earned property? No, surely she would be completely content to part with it!" The sarcastic mockery in his voice caused her grip to tighten on the hilt of her sword. "Or perhaps she was resisting unwanted sexual advances from a thug that wouldn't take no for an answer? Now that I think about it I likely should of made him suffer more."

"The weak should submit to the strong, it's just how the world works."

His eyes flashed with light and he spread his arms wide. "Then submit, weaklings, and your deaths will be marginally less agonizing. Come and kneel before your better so I might pass judgment as is the right of the strong."

"You're an arrogant fool!" She snapped. "Crossing us is the last mistake you will make!"

"There is a fool here, but it is not I. You and yours choose to live as beasts, you should accept being slaughtered like beasts as well."

"If you think I'll let you get away with this..."

"Are we ending this conversation already? Oh, good!" His sheer relief seemed to thrown her off so he decided to elaborate. "It's just speaking to creatures like you makes me somewhat ill." he couldn't see her face behind the mask, but the way her grip tightened on her sword spoke of rage. "It's like speaking to a giant leech. I'd much rather just be killing you, but it seems uncivilized to simply cut you down without discourse if it's what you desire."

"Do you have any idea of who you are talking to, you piece of shit!" The girl, Vernal, roared from the sidelines.

"Vernal be quite and get-"

"Raven Branwen, leader of the Branwen tribe, and the current Spring Maiden."

The bandits all did a double take. Shock radiated through the group as every single one of them froze on the spot.

Ah, yes, that was suppose to be a secret. How utterly uncouth of him.

"How do you know that?!" The woman before him hissed, her weapon was pointing at him so fast he very nearly didn't see her draw it. "Who do you work for? Ozpin or Salem?"

"Neither. Though I suppose you could say I work for the Professor by proxy I don't really hold the man in high enough regard to follow his orders."

She paused there, he thought her body posture was unsure, though he was still hardly a an expert on humanoid body language. It did seem to cause her some distress.

"Then who are you working for?"

"I suppose you could say I am working for someone who works for someone who works for Ozpin."

The eyes behind the mask narrowed. "You're a mercenary."

He paused to think on that for a moment then nodded. "Correct in a sense. Though money isn't the currency I value."

"Money is worthless. Only fools see it as valuable."

He laughed at that. "I'm utterly shocked to find myself agreeing with a creature such as yourself, but here it is. Yet I wonder what is it you find value in, Raven Branwen?"

"Strength."

His eyes rolled before he could stop them, a non-verbal tic he had picked up from Yang Xiao Long and Weiss Schnee.

"My dear child," He leaned forward with a malicious grin, "you know absolutely nothing of strength. If you did you would know it is worth less then ash."

Behind her mask Raven Branwen's eyes blazed with red light. The Spring mantle, he realized, having seen Cinder Fall show a similar effect when using the Fall mantle's powers.

"I'll show you how wrong you are."

Spires of gleaming, razor sharp ice erupted around him and forced him to vault skyward. He landed on one smoothly and flourished his sword with a mocking bow. He was surprised by how excited he was now, how much he was looking forward to this. Cinder Fall had been a worthy foe. As was Pyrrha Nikos. The maidens were powerful and Raven Branwen had been skilled long before she became a Maiden.

The perfect test for his new capabilities.

"I admit," He grinned wolfishly and began to relax the hold he kept on his power. Emerald light drifted from his shell like eerie mist, the energy his form could not contain bleeding through into the physical world. He felt most of the remaining parasites draw back in fear, "I am looking forward to this. How long will you last, little scavenger?"

Raven Branwen just shrugged and tore the mask away, throwing it to the side without a glance. Her own grin was nearly as predatory as his. "Are we going to keep talking or are you going to fight me?"

"Oh, with pleasure, my dear." He braced to lung and saw his opponent's legs bend to do the same.

"Anduri-! Oh god..."

Only for a voice to interrupt them. His head snapped around, eyes locking on the source.

Ruby Rose stood just at the edge of the battlefield seemingly having just cut the nearby corner. Crescent Rose was deployed, but nearly slid from her fingers as she stared in outright horror at the corpses littering the street.

Reality almost shattered as he desperately bent it to interpose himself between the girl and the enemies around them.

"Ruby," He forced his voice to be calm as he spoke to the girl behind him.

* * *

"Has anyone ever told you that you have absolutely terrible timing?"

Her mind barely registered Anduriel appearing in front of her or the words he spoke. She was too busy staring at all the dead bodies littering the street.

There were so many. She'd seen corpses before, they hadn't always saved everyone over the last few months, but she'd never seen anything at all like this.

Most of them weren't even in one piece. Just chunks of meat that had once been an entire person.

Blood had sprayed or leaked all over the place. Arms, legs, heads, and bloody organs scattered across the impromptu a battlefield.

It looked like something from a horror movie.

"Ruby?"

Her eyes focused on the person in front of her, instinctively locking on the red-gold eyes staring down at her. For the very first time since she had met him Ruby remembered what Pyrrha had told her about their first meeting.

 _He was the scariest thing I've ever encountered, far worse then the dragon. Just looking in his eyes was terrifying. If I had been able to move I would've run. I wouldn't have been able to stop myself._

At the time she hadn't understood.

She did now.

Looking up into his eyes froze her to the bone. Her entire body simply locked up in primal fear.

He was a predator. Something so dangerous it could kill her in a heartbeat if it wanted.

All these people. Had he killed them all? Was he going to kill her too? Their friends? Oh god, what if-?

"Ruby!" His voice crackled with energy and that finally brought her to her senses. She swallowed and managed a shaky nod.

"I- I'm alright."

"There's a civilian." He spoke quietly as he turned away from her. Back to a woman that looked shockingly like a dark haired version of her sister. "A young woman, she's the reason I didn't wait. I lost track of her during the altercation. Find her and get her out. I don't know if there are others."

"Right. Right! I can do that!" She hesitated. "But what about you?"

"I shall go back to dealing with the pests." He brought his sword up into a guard position and absolutely everyone on the street tensed. Some looked outright horrified, like they wanted nothing more then to flee, but were far to frightened to actually do so.

That more then anything confirmed what had happened.

"Whose your friend?" The woman asked.

She answered on instinct before Anduriel could. "Ruby Rose."

The woman's eyes widened in surprise. Recognition flashed across her face before she steeled it back to blank hostility.

Oh good, had even bandits heard of her? It was the first time she had thought of her new fame sarcastically.

The man in front of her sighed and muttered so quietly she almost couldn't hear it. "And now I shall be forced to endure more talking."

"If you're here then Yang must be around as well. Is she coming?"

Her eyes narrowed at that.

Ok, she understood how the woman might have heard of her, she was pretty well known now for the whole mess in Vale, but how in the world did she know Yang? Why wouldn't she ask about Pyrrha or even Weiss? Nobody else they had met recognized Yang beyond "Ruby Rose's sister."

"How do you know my sister?"

"Oh simple," The woman shrugged, though she never for an instant lowered her guard or took her eyes off them, "I'm her mother. It'd be hard not to know her considering I had to spend eighteen hours in labor to get her out of me."

The utter shock actually caused her to drop Crescent Rose, the weapon slipping from numb fingers that fumbled to catch it.

"That..." Her sister's mom. Her uncle's sister. Her dad's first wife. "Raven?"

"Hello, Ruby." She actually took one hand off her sword to wave. At least now she knew where Yang got her sassyness from. "Fancy meeting Summer's little brat way out here."

 _Well, that's kind of rude._

Anduriel growled. The air actually vibrated as tendrils of green energy pulsed from his form. Without thinking she reached out with her free hand grabbed the back of his coat. It felt a lot like she was holding back a very angry, very dangerous guard dog. If she let him go, she knew he would do his level best to tear everyone there to pieces.

Given the sheer carnage around them he'd probably succeed.

Uncle Qrow had told her about Raven a few times when he'd had a little too much to drink. He'd always been clear she was one of the most skilled and dangerous people on the planet, but she was certain that if she let Anduriel go, if she let them fight, Yang's mother would die. How could she not? What was one huntress, no matter their skill, against a god? Raven was a an insect, one that could sting maybe, but that was all she was.

Anduriel could kill her, Ruby was sure of it.

It horrified her how tempting it was to let him go.

She'd never really thought of it before, but here faced with the woman herself she could barely stop a wave of angry disappointment from consuming her. Raven had left dad and Yang and Uncle Qrow. She'd abandoned their family and for what? To lead a troupe of murdering thieves in the Grimm Lands?!

If she just let Anduriel go Raven Branwen would die. Yang would be upset, devastated even, she might never forgive either of them. She couldn't even begin to think how her dad or uncle might react. But that might be worth it to put her sister's obsession to rest forever. To make the woman in front of her pay for all the pain she'd caused the people she loved. She betrayed everyone and ran away like a coward.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her grip tightened on the coat. She couldn't. It wasn't what a hero would do and it wasn't what she would do either. Anduriel probably didn't even understand that Yang would be hurt if he killed Raven even assuming he knew who she was, he was weird like that. So she had to be responsible for both of them. She couldn't let angry emotions dictate what she did or allowed.

She was bigger then that.

When she opened her eyes she stared unflinchingly into Raven's own and was surprised when a small amount of approval showed in the older woman's gaze. "You should leave. More of us are coming and if you couldn't stop Anduriel you certainly can't fight all nine of us."

"Let them go?!" Anduriel practically hissed the words.

He wanted to kill them, she could tell. He wanted them dead. Was it because they were bad people and Pyrrha had told him to fight evil? Or was it something simpler?

 _A parasite that lives off the strength of others and takes what she does not deserve._

He'd spoken those words months ago, but the sheer disgust in his voice at the time made her remember them clearly. He'd been talking about the Spring Maiden, but the words could easily apply to Raven or any member of her group. To any thief or bandit really.

Maybe it wasn't his promise that drove him to such violence, but pure loathing. In his eyes, people like Raven weren't people at all. Just pests that needed to be eradicated no different then the Grimm.

The realization hit her hard and she suddenly wondered if he'd ever killed anyone else on their journey. They'd left him to himself so much especially at night when almost all of them were sleeping. She'd likely never know for sure.

Was it strange that she blamed herself for that possibility more then she blamed Anduriel?

"Nine?!"

Her head swiveled to a younger female bandit with short hair. Blood covered the left side of her face. A grazing strike from a bladed weapon. She'd gotten lucky, Anduriel didn't miss often.

"Yes, there's nine of us. We're the fastest," She indicated the man she was still holding on to, "but the others will be here shortly. We're all Beacon Hunters."

The entire group shifted backwards. Even Raven seemed to lose some of her confidence, her left foot slipping back into a more defensive position. A subtle, but clear hint to her mindset.

In their minds one huntsman had decimated them completely, what would eight more do? What if they were all as strong as the first?

"And you're just willing to let us go, are you?" Raven's sarcasm was getting on her nerves. Her fingers loosened on the coat for an instant and she felt Anduriel tense immediately before she tightened her fingers again.

"Are any of the villagers still alive?"

"Almost all of them," She jerked her head behind her, "They holed up in the town hall. We decided not to bother them as long as they stayed out of the way."

"How magnanimous of you." Anduriel growled. "One might almost mistake that for compassion if it wasn't so obviously pragmatism."

"After you butcher my people you think you can honestly call me out on being pragmatic?"

"The difference between us, my dear, is that I fully admit to being a monster. You, on the other hand, do all you can to convince yourself you're not the worthless little beast you are."

Ruby shifted her grip on Crescent Rose as Raven tensed. If it came to a fight-

A distant howl split the air.

Everyone jumped. Eyes shifting outward, away from each other, away from mundane threats. Even Anduriel and Raven turned to face the distant cry.

For one moment not a soul moved.

Then the stillness was shattered as another howl answered it. Then another and another.

And then something else entirely. Something whose far off cry was as much scream as it was roar.

"Grimm." Ruby breathed.

"Everyone pack up." Raven snapped. "Grab what you can right now, we are leaving."

"Wai- wait!" Ruby gasped stepping past Anduriel who had turned fully to face the howls. "You can't just leave! If you help us stop-"

"No." It was said with such finality that she flinched back. "They'll live or die by their own strength."

"Strength you have just robbed them of." Anduriel's voice was dark, but he made no move toward the fleeing bandits.

Raven shrugged. "Life is harsh. If they'd been stronger they would of stopped us."

With that she turned away.

Something in Ruby wouldn't let her have the last word. Whatever it was she'd never felt it for anything before. Not even the Grimm or Cinder. She thought it might have been hate.

"Next time," She spoke quietly, but Raven still paused and turned just enough to look back at her with one eye, "I won't stop him."

The woman stared for a moment then turned and marched away. In a few short minutes the bandits vanished. Gone like ghosts, leaving only the corpses of their comrades behind.

For a few moments the two of them just stood there, listening to the sounds of onrushing death. Distant cries that heralded a coming storm.

"Anduriel?"

"Yes?"

"How many?"

The howls of beowolves had been joined by the caws of nevermore and the roars of ursa. Yet it was that near human shriek that brought a true chill to Ruby's heart. She had no idea what it was and that frightened her.

"Hundreds."

A rush of adrenaline hit her system. Thousands of hours of training kicked in. She could hear Miss Goodwitch drilling her on disaster response. Prefossor Port describing how best to defend a structure from Grimm incursion.

 _Prioritize, Miss Rose. Yourself, your team, and objectives. Be clear. Be concise. Anything less will cost lives._

 _You're a leader now, part of being a leader is controlling the situation._ _Keeping a level head even in the darkest moments._

"I'll get the others, can you find the civilians."  
"Yes."

"Guide Pyrrha to them. We'll meet you there."

"As you say."

With that she turned and ran back the way she had come. Behind her Anduriel vanished in a warping of air. They had Grimm to stop and people to save. She could worry about all of this later.

* * *

Perched atop a tree miles away a solitary figure in a brown long coat gazed at the distant glow of the burning village. With a demented giggle he jumped from his vantage point. As soon as his feet impacted the ground he sprinted toward the distant light.

Towards a doomed town that he was certain held his prey.

Grimm of all kinds surged around him. A dark tide of ripping teeth and slashing claws.

Tyrian Callows grinned manically. "At long last!"

* * *

Farther away still a black bird that was in truth a man flew with all the strength and speed he could muster. Trees blurred by beneath him, yet still he feared he wouldn't be fast enough.

Far in the distance what looked like a black cloud drifted over the landscape. He might of thought it smoke if it wasn't for how it moved against the wind. Nevermore. Small ones, but so many they blotted out the sky beyond them with sheer numbers. He could only imagine the number of Grimm on the ground. Hundred at least. A small migration, but still enough to wipe a village off the map, walls or no.

Fear filled him. He knew where his nieces and their friends had been headed. He knew that they wouldn't abondon people in need, even if it ment fighting a horde of Grimm. He knew they were skilled Hunters, literally some of the best and brightest of their generation and backed by a godlike creature.

Yet he also knew that against the Grimm when guided with purpose even the best hunters could be torn apart and even the brightest stars could be smothered. Quantity had a quality all it's own. He'd been too late enough times to now that with certainty.

He couldn't save Summer. He'd been too late to save Amber. He'd very nearly been too late to save Yang and Ruby once. All he could do was pray he wouldn't be too late this time.

He'd already lost too much and he wasn't willing to lose anything else. Not if he could do anything at all to stop it.

 _Please, just hold on. I'm coming._

* * *

A/N

Well look at that cliff! It's a big one. Shame we won't be seeing where it leads today.

Yep, real shame...

I'm kinda an asshole ain't I?

So Anduriel is a monster. I hadn't actually planned that fight to be so brutal, but my beta reader constantly pointed out how "no, that guy would be dead, so would she. That one just lost his arms for sure." I kept realizing he was right. Anduriel has a habit of holding back most of the time, but against people he views as pests? The gloves come off and the monster comes out. For all that the Branwen tribe is they're ultimately just thugs. Even Vernal is just a glorified distraction. Their one advantage is that they have aura which is useless against Anduriel's weapons when he's actively trying to kill you. Absolutely none of them would stand a chance against a fighter capable of fighting Pyrrha "The Invincible Girl" Nikos to a standstill.

I actually doubt many people could be a credible threat to "killmode" Andy seeing as Remnant's fighters have an incredible amount of reliance on Aura. Neutralize or bypass it and things get messy for them very, very quickly. Their flashy melee styles depend on it working to keep them safe and it makes a lot of them fight with a rather dramatic flair. Contrast against Anduriel who is no nonsense and pragmatically brutal.

Raven was literally the only credible threat they could possibly throw at him and I'm not really sure how long she could last alone either. The Maiden powers give her an edge, but magic is still kind of mundane compared to "I'll cut you with a piece of space I folded into a 2D edge."

But have no fear! Here comes Tyrian to save the day!

Wait, no that's not right...


	11. The Crash

**Battles are wretched beyond description, and only a fool could romanticize the cruel reality.**

* * *

Nora ground her teeth as Pyrrha led them toward the village.

"He what?!"

Behind her Ruby was explaining the situation to everyone, she was a little robotic sounding which was worrying Nora some, but that was for later. Pyrrha was lost in her own world, still running full speed, but not focused on the here. Probably talking to her soulfriend or whatever her and Anduriel could be called.

No one was happy with the story Ruby was telling, but Yang was apparently the least happy person on the planet right now. Nora figured it was the big sister instincts kicking in.

"He killed them." Ruby repeated mechanically. "I stopped him once I got there, but he killed a lot of them before that."

She traded a quick glance with Ren. His only reaction to the news was a small resolute nod, but she could tell he wasn't surprised. He wasn't even really upset.

In truth, she wasn't really either. However much Anduriel liked them, he was bluntly dismissive of most other people. He only acknowledged they existed if they tried to directly interact with him or if they started causing problems. It worried her that most of the others didn't seem to notice his disregard for normal people.

She doubted he would treat bandits as anything other then buzzing bugs he needed to squish.

If anyone deserved to be butchered whole sale though it was a bandit tribe. She and Ren had run into the aftermath of bandit attacks when they were younger often enough to know exactly how brutal they tended to be.

"I'll kill him!" Yang hissed quietly.

She exchanged another glance with Renny and got a cocked eyebrow. She shrugged in return.

Yeah, she didn't know what was up with the blond either.

A frown marred Ren's face and she almost groaned. He couldn't stand not knowing stuff.

"We can worry about it later," Their own team blond barked from ahead, "Town's coming up. Pyrrha can you..."

"Yes."

"Alright then."

"So do we have a plan oooorrrr..?" She felt the question had to be asked. She didn't really care either way, but they had schemers in the group who would be angry if she didn't listen.

"Find Anduriel, who should have found the civilians, stop the Grimm." Jaune ventured then added. "Nobody die?"

"Fair enough." She shrugged. Simple plans were best!

Ren sighed next to her. "How much time do we have?"

"Not long." Weiss glanced toward the cloud of approaching Nevermore that marked the horde's position. "Maybe thirty minutes?"

The village wall came into view as they passed the last line of trees and the group didn't even slow down as they came up to it. Merely leaping up the height with various means. Nora launched herself up there with a well placed concussive grenade giving her jump extra oomph.

As they landed on the wall's top they could see the great, gaping hole the bandits had blown into the eastern section. It was right next to a watch tower, so it had probably been a gatehouse. An obvious weak point for whoever had used the explosives to blow it open. No way to fix that in twenty minutes that she could think up. Not like it would matter with all the nevermore.

Apparently Jaune disagreed. "Nora, Weiss. Go to the gap. Nora I need you to to collapse that tower into the hole. Weiss freeze the outside, make it as hard to climb as possible. It won't stop them forever, but it might slow them down some. Give us time to thin out the birds."

"Right!" Blowing stuff up was also a good plan!

"Very well." The groups Princess nodded her consent. The two of them took off toward the destroyed wall.

"Try not to waste too many explosives though." He yelled back as he continued following Pyrrha.

As they sprinted toward their job, aka explosions, she turned to look at Weiss.

"Hey, have you ever thought it weird that Ruby and Jaune can just kinda switch around whose in charge without ever actually talking about it?"

Weiss blinked and turned to look at her. "What?"

She leapt across a particularly large gap and landed with a roll to keep her momentum. "It's just we have two leaders right? But they never counter order or whatever each other. I've never seen them talk about it, they just do it."

"Countermand." Weiss supplied, apparently without really thinking about it and Nora rolled her eyes. "You're right I suppose, but is this really the time to talk about our leaders being good at their jobs?"

Nora gasped. "Of course!" Weiss glanced at her again. "We just have the best team leaders on Remnant, obviously they'd do everything well!" Weiss just sighed. "You don't think so?"

"Honestly I have no idea, Nora." She shook her head. "At this point in my life it really wouldn't surprise me to learn that Anduriel had connected us all at the subconscious level like some kind of hive mind."

Nora gasped again, louder this time and in her excitement at the thought nearly missed a jump. "Oh my gosh, we're like bees!"

"Wait, what?" The other girl stumbled slightly. "Nora, no that's not what I- Bees aren't actually–"

"We can be Team Apis! I'll tell Ren after we're done blowing stuff up! Thanks Weiss!"

She gave an extra burst of speed as they closed the on the guard tower. She ignored Weiss yelling something at her to focus on figuring out how to explode this thing the way she wanted. An evil grin started spreading across her face as she eyed an already damaged section of the tower's base.

* * *

Pyrrha didn't know how to feel about Anduriel killing a bunch of bandits. It wasn't something she would of done. It wasn't something any of them would of done. Yet she couldn't help, but think other older hunters might of done much the same if for completely different reasons. She certainly couldn't see General Ironwood doing more then telling his men to "try" to take them alive. That Anduriel had cut out the try part was surprisingly only slightly distressing.

She thought that might have been something that should worry her, but there was time for self reflection later.

 **More to your left. There, the large structure straight ahead.**

" I see it." She mumbled out loud. "How many?"

 **I am unsure, a sizeable portion of the town certainly.**

She grimaced slightly.

"Problem?" Jaune asked quietly.

"Lot of people apparently." She pointed. "And that is not exactly an easily defended location."

Jaune looked at the large flat topped building and also grimaced. "Oh boy. This is... this is gonna be harder then I thought."

She nodded, but continued onward, jumping roofs with aura enhanced ease.

"Yang!" He called over his shoulder.

"What?!"

She couldn't help the slight flinch at Yang's furious voice. The blond brawler was still enraged, her eyes flashing between red and lavender constantly. Ruby was trying her best, but just couldn't seem to calm her down.

"Go get Weiss and Nora," He pointed at the building, "That's where we're going."

"Fine! Whatever." She turned and kicked off so hard the roof shattered beneath her, forcing Ren to hop slightly to the side to avoid falling into the house they had been passing over.

"Are you sure sending her off alone is a good idea?"

Jaune shrugged. "I'm hoping to give her more time to cool off before she sees him again."

She hummed thoughtfully, but any response she had was cut off as she hit the last roof and spotted Anduriel with a large group of people around in him standing in the courtyard of the large, and up close rather official looking, building they had been moving toward.

Without breaking stride she leapt from the roof and sprinted straight toward them. Anduriel had already been facing them, but as the sound of the hunters hitting the ground sounded out the entire crowd turned to watch their approach.

"Pyrrha." He said simply as she jogged to a stop.

"It was stupid going off on your own like that." She responded, her voice taking on a tone she might have used when scolding a young child. "Yang isn't happy about what you did to the bandits, either."

He blinked. "Why would Yang be upset?"

Now that was the millione len question wasn't it. She could understand the blond being upset about him tramitizing Ruby, but the sheer fury the girl had displayed wasn't the reaction she would of expected. It had only started when Ruby had pulled her aside too so who knew what had actually set the anger off.

Jaune had stopped in front of the crowd of civilians to ask questions and give orders. "Whose in charge?"

"Later." She whispered as she turned away to face the crowd.

 _When dealing with civilians always present a solid, unified group. It cuts down on panic and keeps them from questioning your authority which is paramount in dire situations._

She wasn't even sure which of her instructors had given her that advice, but she followed it now.

She took a moment to glance over the crowd. Most of them looked very young to her at first. With a start she realized that they were almost all older then her. Yet she, like all of them, had acuired a kind of worldly maturity of the last few months. Combat and travel had hardened them in ways that the people here had never had. Even so far from the safety of the great walls, they still had likely lived in relative peace up until the last few hours. Even some of the villagers who were likely a decade older then her seemed young somehow.

"I am." An older woman stepped forward. "I'm glad to see you Hunters. Your friend here said you were coming, but wouldn't elaborate." The last line was spoken with some annoyance and the woman shot Anduriel a glare he payed absolutely no attention too.

"Ok, how many people are here?"

The woman blinked, glanced at Jaune, then back at Anduriel, whatever she was looking for she didn't find. "One hundred and sixty six last count. About a quarter the village. We... we don't know where the others are. I assume the military garrison didn't make it, they were only a few dozen strong and tried to defend the walls..." She sighed then glanced at Jaune again as he muttered something under his breath. "Excuse me young man, but are you in charge of this entire group?"

"Hhmm?" Jaune glanced back at the village leader. "At the moment yeah. Me and Ruby," he indicated the younger girl who was quietly standing between herself and Blake with Ren slightly behind them. A small circle of support that had formed without any real planning.

"There's no older huntsmen coming?" She asked uncertainly.

Her eyes narrowed as she leveled a glare at the older woman. She hated it when people underestimated her because she was young, even in tourneys it was one of the few things that managed to get under her skin. Apparently doubting her friends for the same reason also pushed that button.

She wasn't alone in this as Blake's eyes flashed dangerously at the perceived slight.

The woman held up her hands placatingly, belatedly realizing she just stepped on a landmine. "I mean no offense," She spoke quickly, "It's just you all seem very young. I assumed your friend here was in charge."

"I am no leader." Came Anduriel's clipped replay then he went back to ignoring her existence. "Yang? Nora? Weiss?"

"They're off trying to patch the wall." Ren responded.

"What?!" Someone in the crowd shouted. "Are you stupid? The bandits blew a hole at least the size of a gatehouse in it! How could they possibly-?"

They were interrupted by a large explosion, smoke billowed into the sky, and a moment later the large guard tower that had likely watched over the village's main gate slowly tilted and collapsed.

"Like that." Jaune replied smugly before turning to the leader again. "How strong is this building, is there any place safer to go?"

The woman turned back to them with a more contemplative look. "There's an military bunker in the basement, it's from the old war." The woman jerked a thumb over her shoulder at the building which the hunters now regarded more appreciatively. "It's old, but still well maintained for emergencies like this. Nothing in this town is safer."

Jaune nodded. "I can work with that."

He glanced around the town. "Right. This bunker, can it be sealed or locked down?"

"Yes. It can seal completely and there are supplies enough to last us a few days. I doubt it could stop the Grimm forever, but it should be more then enough to keep us mostly safe."

"Ok," Jaune nodded, "I need you to get everyone down there. The Grimm will be drawn to here, to you, like flies to honey. Frankly we can't protect you all out in the open. This building is just too exposed. Lock yourself in, we'll get you when it's over."

He never expressed or considered that they might fail. They couldn't fail. Not when lives depended on them.

"Of course, huntsman, I'll see it done." With that she turned and began shouting orders to people in the crowd. They seemed to come alive. Melancholy and inaction replaced with tentative hope and purposeful motion.

He turned back toward fresh column of smoke that marked Nora's handy work and seemed to think for a moment.

"Quick question." He called waiting for the woman to turn around. "How big of an explosion do you think that bunker could withstand?"

The village leader blinked in confusion. She wasn't the only one.

* * *

A while later Pyrrha crouched next to Jaune inside a building a short ways off. The others were scattered about in pairs around the town hall, far enough away to be safe, but close enough to be with range of at least one other pair. The buildings they were in had been reinforced to the best of the villagers abilities on short notice and if they got overwhelmed they would fall back to another teams location.

Ruby, Weiss, and Anduriel were in a building off to their right, they were officially the emergency team for this fight and would provide relief were it was needed.

If they had to they could turn the fight into a running retreat over the rooftops to bleed the horde to death, but that risked depending on the old bunker being able to weather whatever punishment the Grimm that didn't engage them could throw at it. A last resort.

The only real problem would be the Nevermore, even tiny ones could be a major threat if the other Grimm forced them all into the open. Jaune had come up with a plan to thin them out though. Unfortunately it was a little...

"This is insane." Weiss voice complained over their scroll network for the fourth time. She wasn't the only one to hold that opinion. "Are we really doing this. The entire villages dust stores going up at once will-!"

"We already kinda did it Weiss-cream."

"We could save it for a plan B!"

"But it'd be a real shame not to use it!" Nora, of course, was all for it. "It'll be so cool."

"Incoming!" Ruby's warning cut off all discussion. "They circled around behind us instead of coming straight in!"

Everyone fell into strained silence and listened closely. A few seconds later something that sounded not unlike an onrushing train reached her ears, but there were no trains here. Not for a hundred miles in any direction.

Wing beats. So many of them that they sounded more like an approaching storm then a flock of birds. The Nevermore had gone eerily quiet, not cawing or screaming on their approach, only the sound of wings marked them. Pyrrha watched the town hall across the village square nervously. The sound reached a deafening thunder and the sky simply turned black as hundreds of raven sized Nevermore descended on the structure. Dozens dove into windows and landed on the roof. Hundreds more circled it like a dark whirlwind almost blocking the entire structure from sight with the sheer number of bodies. She swallowed, realizing that if this plan didn't work and the land bound Grimm managed to force them into the open they would quickly be torn apart. They had absolutely nothing to deal with so many targets.

"Jaune." Nora's tense voice hissed.

"Wait."

More and more came, landing on the lawn and began scratching in the dirt, trying to claw their way through the earth to the safe house beneath. They could feel the civilians whose fear had likely skyrocketed. There was no way they couldn't hear this even behind the reinforced walls below them.

"Jaune!"

"Wait!"

A deafening screech split the air and a shadow passed over the building she and Jaune had hidden in. A shadow so large in plunged the entire square into darkness. A Nevermore, the largest she had ever seen, one that dwarfed the beast Ruby had slain during initiation what seemed a life time ago, circled in the sky over the square. Each of it's wings had to be as long as five story building. It's beak alone was the length of a bus. The titanic creature moved with impossible grace as it circled the square once, twice, then came in low.

The elder Grimm's massive clawed feet smashed into the roof of the town hall crushing the top two floors beneath it's sheer weight. It spread it's wings and screech to the sky, the sound so overwhelming that Pyrrha was forced to clap both hands over her ears and it still left her skull ringing. The lesser avian Grimm circled it, a black torrent that enveloped the great creature. It angled it's beak down, obviously in preparation to begin tearing the building apart.

Then it paused, it's head cocked to the side as if curious.

And it turned to look right at them.

She suddenly found herself gazing directly into its glowing red eyes and she knew that just like the Dragon this Grimm wasn't just a beast. It wasn't a mindless animal.

It _knew_.

It _understood_.

For one timeless moment they remained locked in that staring contest and then she saw realization spark in it's eyes.

 _Trap_.

But it was too late.

"NOW!"

Somewhere Nora pressed a button and the building beneath the ancient Grimm's feet turned into a massive ball of fire.

* * *

Tyrian's eyes widened as a huge explosion blossomed in the heart of the small town and consumed the black cloud that had been the Nevermores he had brought with him. The shock wave actually blew the roofs off a few weaker houses and every window in the village shattered. The small flying Grimm that hadn't been consumed by the fire were thrown from the air, raining like feathered hail stones around the village.

He watched in disbelief as the huge bird that had been leading the murder actually did several smoke trailing somersaults before smashing head first into the ground with a brutal crunch. For a few seconds it stayed like that, feathered tail stuck straight up into the sky, then it slowly tilted to the side and flattened a two story house as it came crashing down. It didn't so much as twitch.

He blinked owlishly a few times then cackled.

"Oh my, oh my, they know some tricks! Naughty children, but clever. We'll see how your tricks handle the rest!"

He vaulted the wall. Behind him the rest of the Grimm had begun climbing, literally piling onto each other to reach the top using the bodies of the fellows as a ladder.

He could wait for them, but it would be rude not to go introduce himself. Wouldn't want that now would we.

"Ready or not~." He singsonged. "Here I come~."

* * *

As Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee pulled themselves back to a standing position and glanced out the now shattered window at what had once been a six story structure he almost wanted to whistle. It was something he had noticed his companions do when something particularly impressed them.

"Unbelievable." Weiss Schnee groaned.

He agreed. He almost couldn't believe the destructive potential these creatures could unleash when they put their minds to it, either.

"Bunker, everyone alright?" Jaune Arc's voice, followed by some coughs, came over the Scrolls.

"This is Bunker, everyone's fine." Came the nervous reply. "Gods above we felt that even down here. We're checking the outer walls just to be safe, but it seems everything held up. How many did it get?"

"I don't even know how many small Nevermore we just took out, several hundred at least." Jaune Arc's voice was a combination of smug and proud. An appropriate response to such overwhelming success. "We got a big one too, bigger then the hall was. Must of been old."

"Really?! Holy shit, I didn't even know the birds could get that big."

"They come in all sizes. We'll handle the rest, should be easy without the flock harassing us from the air. We'll dig you out when it's over."

"Best of luck, Hunters!"

"There it is!" Ruby Rose pointed to the east where a single large and seemingly broken wing protruded above the surrounding buildings. The explosion had managed to throw the massive beast several blocks.

Weiss Schnee squinted at it. "Can anyone tell if its dead?"

"Too far off."

"It's just a little ways from us." Blake Belladonna responded. "It looks dead to me."

"Dead as a door nail." Agreed her partner. "It really ran a-fowl of that explosion."

Everyone groaned. Even the peon working communications in the bunker did.

"Oh come on that was a good one!"

Whatever anger Yang Xiao Long had toward him, something he _still_ had not gotten an answer for, she had put it on hold. Combat came first. He hoped by the time it was over she had simply forgotten about whatever it was he had done. He had no desire to argue with her especially when he did not know what the argument was even about.

Weiss Schnee turned to look up at him. "What do you think the odds are of us pulling this off without anything going wrong?"

He paused to think about it, running through some quick probability calculations. "The odds are in our favor I think. As long as nothing unexpected happens at any rate."

"What would you say counts as unexpected?"

He opened his mouth to respond only for the wall behind them to explode inwards as a brown and white blur rushed them. Honed reflexes caused the two Huntresses to throw themselves to the sides, but his own more sluggish reactions didn't respond in time to do more then form a shadow of Crocea Mors' shield to defend himself. Whatever it was smashed into the crystalline construct like a sledgehammer and sent him flying. He felt his back smash into and through the heavy wood wall behind him carrying both himself and his attacker into the open air beyond.

* * *

Back in the room Ruby and Weiss shared a startled, wide eyed looked.

"Do you think that counts as unexpected?"

"We have a problem!"

* * *

Tyrian rolled to his feet easily and saw the man in blue coat similar to his own do the same. It was him. The brats description of him was perfect.

As he righted himself his target frowned though he didn't seem surprised or worried. "Tyrian Callows."

He snickered at that. "So it's true, you know us." He bowed, politeness first. "You have me at a disadvantage, my friend. You should introduce yourself, it's only fair."

"I am known as Anduriel." He was absolutely delighted when the other man inclined his head. Oh, civility at last! "A pleasure."

"So polite!" He gushed earnestly. "Such a breath of fresh air! Most warriors these days ignore the niceties. So brutish."

Anduriel shrugged unconcerned. "I see no reason to be rude to someone who fights for what they believe in."

He grinned. "Then you know whom I fight for. You know of my goddess!"

"There are no divines, Tyrian." The other man replied calmly. He let the black shield in his left hand drop, it faded to shadowy fog just before it struck the ground. "Only those of greater scope."

Normally such a declaration would of enraged him, but coming form this one... there was no bite to the words. He spoke them as nothing more then a truth he believed. None of it was meant to ridicule or demean.

"Yet she is still more then all others. All I am I devote to her alone." He gestured grandly as he spoke. "She has ordered me to bring you to her. She wants to meet you."

A spear the color of a starless night sky and matching sword appeared in his hands. One moment he was unarmed, the next they were simply there. How utterly fascinating. "I will have to decline."

He shook his head and spread his hands mournfully. "I'm afraid I must insist. I will force you if I have to. No one declines an invitation from my Queen."

Anduriel cocked his head then dropped into a combat stance. Venomous green light began to drift from his body even as the blades of his weapons shined with blindingly white edges so brightly contrasting against the darkness of the weapons. It was beautiful.

The feeling in the air shifted and became utterly oppressive. Tyrian tasted the power all around him, his faunus senses screaming that the being before him was _**more**_. He had never been more excited to battle someone in his life.

"You may try."

It was all the signal he needed. He lunged forward. Watching in near awe as the god he faced bent the very fabric of space and appeared behind him. The magnificent blade of light and dark rushed down for his head.

He spun about with a burst of aura and raised his gauntlets to block. The look of surprise on Anduriel's face when their weapon met in sparks of black and white was thrilling. He lashed out with his tail trying to capitalize on the momentary weakness, yet his foe recovered from his surprise with inhumane haste and swatted the appendage aside with the haft of his spear, bringing the tip around to slash at his exposed side.

The action forced Tyrian to end the dead lock and hop back, but his foe pursued doggedly blade whistling through the air as it tried to simply batter through his defenses even as the spear continued to strike out whenever he managed to retreat out of the blade's range.

Magnificent! Nearly inhumane!

Finally, he managed to gain enough ground to leap backwards and catch a short reprieve.

"Your mistress has given you a gift I see." The blue coated man spoke cordially, gesturing at the dark mist that wrapped around his blades.

He giggled. "Only to level the playing field. I would hate to come all this way and disappoint you. What fun would it be if a single stroke ended our little dance?"

Anduriel hummed thoughtfully and dropped back into a battle ready stance.

Tyrian followed suit. He was going to enjoy this.

* * *

"What do we do?!" Ruby shook Weiss back and forth. This wasn't the plan! "Whatdowedo?!"

"Ruby, shut up for a minute and calm down!" Her partner managed to pull away and fumbled with her phone to hear Jaune over the chatter.

"Who the hell is that?!" It sounded like Nora.

"No idea! Ruby, Weiss get down there and-!"

"Wait," Pyrrha's voice broke through the chatter, "Anduriel doesn't want anyone interfering!"

"He what?!" Yang's voice was part outrage, part worry, and all scream. "Bullshit, someone get down there and-!"

A roar split the air and a beowolf leapt onto a roof across the plaza. It was followed by dozens of others. Ruby's eyes widened in horror. They were out of time.

Someone, she wasn't sure who, summed up the entire situation in one word.

"FUCK!"

Weapons began discharging from the surrounding buildings and the Grimm that had cleared the first roofs died almost instantly. Their decaying corpses toppling from rooftops, yet more appeared. Ruby added Crescent Rose to the withering hail of fire even as Anduriel and the mystery man continued to battle in the village square below.

She realized with clarity the best thing they could do was keep the Grimm away and hope Anduriel could either kill his attacker or at least last until the Grimm were dealt with.

With a roar a Ursa erupted from a house on the Grimm's side of the square and charged directly at the building Yang and Blake were in as it was the closest. It was followed by ten more of varying sizes.

Or perhaps they had to hope Anduriel could kill whoever that was then help them with the Grimm. One of those two!

"Change of plans! Pyrrha if we have to retreat tell Anduriel! Nora aim for groups of five or more, save your shots otherwise! Ruby focus on taking out the big ones! Weiss save your dust for if something goes wrong! Everyone else kill everything that moves. Pyrrha and I'll move to back up anyone getting overwhelmed!"

A series of confirmations sounded out even as they continued to lay down fire at the Grimm. The buildings along with the rubble from the explosion slowed them greatly, but they still managed to push forward inch by inch. She turned her focus from firing as fast as possible to putting precision shots into eyes or throats of the largest Grimm she could see. The occasional explosions showed were Nora was focusing her own shots, killing entire swathes of the monsters with every grenade, but they still kept coming.

Next to her Weiss grit her teeth. "How many of them are there?!"

Ruby didn't answer. Aim, squeeze trigger, eject shell, next target, repeat. Mechanical and practiced.

One bullet, one kill. Over and over again. The clip ran dry and with ease born of thousands of hours of training she rammed a new one from her belt in.

The few seconds she had taken a large Ursa had managed to close on Anduriel. He turned and easily sliced the beast's head from it's shoulders, but the distraction almost proved fatal when his opponent rushed him. She put a shot right on target and forced the man to spin to the side in order to avoid taking the high caliber dust round to the head. He turned to glare in her direction, but she'd already gone back to trying to stem the tide of death rushing toward them.

Suddenly the Grimm seemed to falter. The press of bodies stopped with a bizarre suddenness. Then the sound she had feared rent the air. A building on the far side of the plaza was torn apart as something unlike any Grimm she had ever seen ripped it's way into view. It looked like a twisted parody of a mounted knight. Yet it was a mockery of everything such a warrior would be. The creature's upper body was a horned, emaciated monster whose long spindly arms hung limply at it's side. What should have been it's legs merged into the "mount" beneath it, a demonic mockery of a horse.

She had no idea what she was looking at.

As soon as it entered the square more lesser Grimm surged in behind it and it screamed again it's long arms lashing out to tear into the building Yang and Blake had been stationed in.

"Oh, shit!"

"That's-!"

"What the fuck is that?!"

"Weiss, Nora everything you've got on that thing, right now!"

Next to her Weiss spun Myrtenaster and red flames blossomed in the air around her partner. They condensed into a huge, raging ball of white hot fire that shot at the monster. Just before it hit explosions courtesy of Nora peppered it's form and it staggered only to be consumed by the fireball. The attack was so brutal that it actually stalled the smaller Grimm, stemming the tide temporally, but the smoke billowed away as the knight-like Grimm, still very much alive, charged froth and smashed straight into Blake and Yang's building. The whole thing simply seemed to disintegrate before the creature's attack.

She heard her sister yell and saw both forms leap to the next building over, firing down into the new wave of Grimm as they were force to retreat.

"Bumblebee join up with Sloth, we're coming to help kill that thing. Ruby, Weiss, focus on keeping the other Grimm back, use whatever you have to."

"Understood." Weiss called.

Ruby was just about to fire off another shot at a large Beowolf that had crested a roof when for one moment everything simply stopped.

She wasn't sure how long that single second stretched, it could have been nothing more then a moment, but it felt like forever.

Then the world restarted again with the most horrifying sound she had ever heard.

It was a bone rattling shriek that seemed to cut into her soul. The wind of it blew her hair back and forced her to momentarily clutch her ears. The building beneath her feet vibrated with it and the very air distorted around them.

For a moment the sheer power of that sound drowned out everything. The world seemed to freeze at it. She turned her head, down to the battle that had raged since the beginning. To Anduriel and the mysterious man that had attacked alongside the Grimm.

Her heart froze as she watched in what seemed to be slow motion as Anduriel covered in poisonous green light lunged at the man. Cracks of light sheered through the air. Glimmering rents in the fabric of reality through which more of that toxic colored energy poured. All of it reaching for the man, a faunus her mind numbly registered now that he had somehow lost his coat. Anduriel was the source of the noise, an inhumane scream of pure unfaltering rage. From where she was she had a perfect view of what was about to happen and her heart nearly stopped in her chest.

She tried to scream out a warning as the scorpion tail behind the man's back uncoiled, but she could do nothing but watch as it plunged straight into her friend's gut.

She was already activating her semblance as she saw the man's look of pure triumph morph into one of shocked horror as Anduriel pushed onward, ignoring whatever pain he was feeling as he closed the last few steps between them. His hands outstretched and jaws opened impossibly wide. Every finger and tooth all glimmering with the ethereal edges that could cut through any defense.

His clawed hands clamped onto the man's blades as the faunus tried to block and they pulled his guard apart even as the edges bite into his hands and bullets fired in pure desperation from the gauntlets cut wildly into his arms.

She was half way there when Anduriel's jaws clamped into his foes shoulder and the faunus screamed flailing in feral panic to free himself. Blood poured from their wounds and she couldn't tell which was Anduriel's and which was his opponent's.

She was only a few feet away when Anduriel spun with inhumane power and ripped the man's left shoulder apart with his teeth, the limb attached to it tearing away in a spray of gore that splattered her face even as the faunus himself was sent flying by the sheer strength of the assault.

She only just managed to catch him as he fell. Anduriel's body falling limp into her arms and his weight dragging her down as she tried desperately to pull him back to safety. Away from the dark horde of jaws and teeth that could so easily finish what the faunus had started.

She was vaguely aware of their enemy struggling to his feet and sluggishly fleeing, one hand clutching at the ruin of what had once been a shoulder. She felt more then saw someone else run up behind her. The familiar smell of whiskey and stormy skies registered in her nose as equally familiar arms reached around her to help pull them away.

Yet she couldn't see anything, but the friend in her arms, pale and unmoving. A pain in her chest so deep she feared it would never ever heal consumed all other feeling.

Something inside her snapped and she screamed.

The world became washed in white light and she knew no more.

* * *

A/N

It all can go wrong so very quickly can't it?

No, this isn't quite the end of the battle. I'd originally planned it all to be one chapter, but frankly the damn thing would have been huge and we ran out of time editing it. I decided to break it into two parts rather then delay; the actual battle in part 1 and clean up/fall out part 2 so look forward to seeing this mess play out next month.

Edit: Just realized that fanfiction's writing format doesn't allow us to write the characters we used to show Anduriel's roar. It was just a series of increasingly large black boxes, but apparently that's too complicated or something. Tried to compensate with words. Doesn't feel as primal. I am majorly disappointed.


	12. The Aftermath

**The greatest insult I have ever been dealt was a fool claiming he'd take what is mine.**

* * *

 **HOW DARE IT?! HOW DARE IT!**

Beyond the boundaries of reality a twisting galaxy of light raged in a dark, eternal and infinite nothingness. It's fury warped the edges of all nearby things and lesser beings fled from it's very presence. There was no sound to express it's wrath, it was beyond the concepts of molecules and atoms needed to create such, instead its anger transmitted to every mind within range. Fury filled the void and all things within it.

 **THE INCONSEQUENTIAL LITTLE MITE!**

The lights, pulsing green orbs that dwarfed mundane stars trillions of times over, spun in maddened displays and impossible patterns that would shatter mortal minds. They coalesced and intertwined only to shatter anew and reform over and over again.

 **IT WILL PAY! IT WILL SUFFER! TO THREATEN TO TAKE WHAT IS OURS! TO CLAIM WHAT WE HAVE MARKED!**

The tiny orb of white light clutched in the the heart of the swirling stars trembled. An entire reality, within the grasp of a being of such magnitude that it was reduced to nothing more then a marble. The orb wavered as the greater being's grip tightened in it's fury, cracks appearing within its surface. The stars took note and forcefully relaxed their hold, the cracks mended slowly.

The being raged within itself, but forced the fires of anger to cool to a cold murderous vehemence. A slinking viper that plotted pain and suffering with every ounce of it's unfathomable mind for the one who had offended it.

 **Wretched lesser beast.**

It focused it's senses back on the white marble of light checking to insure the damage done was repaired. Satisfied it began pushing a infinitesimal fraction of itself within. Instantly it realized the shell bound to Pyrrha Nikos was unconscious. Had it a nose it would of snorted in annoyance. It took some solace in the knowledge it had disarmed the wretched bug, but it hoped the little beast survived. It would make that one beg for the sweet release of cessation. A release that would never be granted if it had its way.

The green stars, the greater whole of the creature that had named itself Anduriel, reached toward the one who held the bond. Pyrrha Nikos was also unconscious. Perhaps backlash from its rage or overload from the damage its shell had suffered. It would have to be more careful in the future.

 **Rendered helpless once more. How terribly frustrating.**

* * *

Qrow was not having a good day. Admittedly it could have been worse, but dammit it could be a lot better too. If he'd been two minutes quicker it would've been.

Stupid semblance was screwing him over again.

He had not woken up this morning expecting to be saving a village from a Grimm migration. He had also not been expecting to be saving his niece. He had expected to be saving a god even less. Yet here he was struggling to sling Ruby over his shoulder and dragging Anduriel away by the scruff of his neck. Both were unconscious though he took some solace in the fact that it was just exhaustion in Ruby's case.

Apparently her silver eye power manifested as massive bursts of white energy that proved extremely harmful to any nearby Grimm. It was also apparently just as taxing awakening it as some more traumatic semblances. Why couldn't everyone just do something harmless like Yang had when her's first manifested? Sure she was embarrassed, burning your cloths off in the middle of combat class was not ideal, but at least she hadn't KO'ed herself mid battle. This was not the best place to be taking a damned nap!

He momentarily gave up on getting Ruby in an easy to carry position and took a look down at his other drag along.

Anduriel was... in far worse shape. He'd seen the last few seconds of the fight. He didn't doubt the faunus Anduriel had been fighting had some kind of venom in that tail. His arms were also covered in bullet holes. Lot of blood. Not good.

"Ruby!" A voice behind him screamed. "Anduriel!"

He turned his head slightly, not quite taking his eyes of the few Grimm Ruby's power hadn't outright annihilated, and spotted the mini ice queen running toward them. The sheer panic on her face reminded him that talented or not his nieces and their friends were ultimately still kids. All the training in the world couldn't change that.

"Ruby's fine." He grunted trying to keep her calm.

"But she... and-and Anduriel, oh god, oh god." She was babbling, her eyes snapping between the slowly recovering Grimm and the three of them as he finally got Ruby over his shoulder.

Qrow grimaced. Yeah, Anduriel really wasn't in good shape. Worse he had no idea how much punishment the guy could take. If he had aura he'd probably be fine so long as they could get him some help, but his body was a fucked up joke that didn't make any real sense. There was no way to know what would kill him and what wouldn't.

Ironically, the one thing that seemed most dangerous to him, blood loss, was almost a non-issue when someone with aura got hurt.

The Princes gave a shrill panicked scream. "Oh god his face!"

Another grimace. Qrow glanced down at the man he was dragging back toward cover. His face was nearly split in half, it didn't take a genius to realize Anduriel had literally torn open his mouth in order to sink his teeth into his opponent's shoulder. His cheeks were just giant bloody rents like some horror movie parody of a cartoon smile. Probably dislocated or broke his jaw too considering how far he'd managed to open it.

Crazy bastard.

"What was that?!" A voice crackled from the Schnee's direction. "Weiss? Ruby? What's going on?!"

"Scroll network code." Qrow snapped before she could answer what sounded like Ark.

"Nine-eight-two-seven-five." She rambled off as she grabbed Anduriel's shoulders and helped drag him back toward the house she'd come running out of. To her credit she didn't even flinch at the blood that got on her hands.

He carefully shifted Ruby and dialed into the kid's network, nearly kicking the door off it's hinges to enter the building that he could now see had been clumsily reinforced.

"This is Qrow Branwen. Ruby and Anduriel are both down. We're getting them into cover. What's the situation with the Grimm."

"Mr. Branwen? What are you- never mind. Pyrrha's down too I'm covering her right now. Yang, Nora, Ren, and Blake are fighting some kind of weird knight Grimm. Whatever that light was killed or drove off most of the normal ones, but it just stunned this one. It tried to run for it, but Ren's refusing to let it go." He was surprised how calm the kid sounded. "Are Ruby and Anduriel alright?"

"Ruby's fine." He said carefully. "Anduriel's going to need medical attention as soon as we can get it to him, he's not in good shape. Nikos?"

As he asked he booted a coffee table out of the way and carefully lowered said god onto the floor in the center of the room. Then he plopped his niece onto a nearby sofa, shoving it back gently to clear more space, before coming back over. The Ice Princess had already pulled out a medical kit from someplace and was doing her best to give basic first aid. Qrow grimaced as she cut the man's shirt and coat off and showed that his arms were covered in holes. Thankfully none of the bullets seemed to have hit beyond his upper arms, but the sheer number of wounds that had been poked in him was going to be a problem.

"Just unconscious. She started screaming and collapsed a little before the light hit."

Something to do with Anduriel getting taken down then. Feedback through their weird mental connection or something. That was a really unfortunate drawback. Then the description of the Grimm the others were apparently trying to take down registered.

"Back up. Did you say you kids are fighting a Nuckelavee?"

"Uh... maybe?" Came the response.

It was followed almost immediately by a loud shriek that shook the building around them.

The radio chatter from the others, Yang included, spiked as the Grimm apparently decided to attack rather then retreat.

"Shit!" Qrow snapped. One legendary monster after another with these kids. His semblance really was working against him big time today. Fucking thing. "Alright listen, get Nikos here. The Princess is working on Anduriel, but she can't help him and guard the building. Soon as you get here, I'll go help put down the Grimm while you guard the wounded."

"Right." There was a low grunt, likely as he hefted Nikos into a shoulder carry. "On my way."

He glanced back down at the walking divine intervention dying at his feet. "Do what you can, kid. Tell me if you need help."

She just nodded far too focused to answer. There was a small flash of light, fire dust, as she began cauterized the bullet holes. Extremely primitive and generally very ill advised, but stopping the bleeding was top priority right now.

With a dark frown he turned away to keep watch. Not much else he could do.

* * *

Jaune stumbled into the building about a minute later. He staggered a little as he spotted Anduriel who was in a slowly expanding pool of red on the floor with Weiss, whose hands were covered in the blood, still working on him.

He did his best fish imitation for a second then asked the obvious question. "What happened?!"

Weiss didn't look up, but the strain in her voice was apparent. "He went berserk and nearly killed himself."

Jaune shivered as he surveyed the room quickly. Ruby was on a sofa that had been shoved toward the back of the room. Qrow was leaning on a desk, sword out and spring-lock tense, with his gaze fixed out a nearby window. The fingers of his free hand were quietly tapping his hip flask. Anduriel and Weiss were in the center of the room a table sloppily thrown out of the way off to the side.

"Crazy bastard decided to drop his weapons and go for a grapple on the faunus he was fighting. Then he used his teeth." Qrow pointed out. "Worked, but the guy had guns in his wrist blades, shot his arms up, and he ripped his jaw up getting it around what he was trying to bite. People aren't suppose to be able to chomp a grown man's arm off." The older hunter cringed slightly. "Also probably poisoned. The guy was a faunus and had a scorpion tail of some kind."

While Qrow was talking Jaune walked over and kicked the table into an upright position then slide it roughly next to Ruby's sofa before lowering Pyrha onto it as gently as he could. That done he redrew Crocea Mors, he was not getting caught flat-footed here.

"Is he alright?" His mouth asked before his brain could stop it.

"Does he look alright to you?!" Weiss snapped.

"Sorry!" He held up his hands. "I just meant-"

"I know what you meant!" She growled then took a breath. "I have no idea. He always seems so strong sometimes I forget he doesn't have aura to protect him, but blood loss has almost killed him before." She paused in her work to glance her patient over. "I never got to finish the advanced first aid classes and that's assuming any of it will even help."

She went back to doing whatever it was she was doing without further comment. Jaune held his tongue moving over to Qrow who was heading toward the door.

"What do we do?"

"You sit here, do what she asks, and guard the building." He said shortly. "I'll go out there and help everyone still fighting put down the Nuckelavee and clean up the Grimm. After that... hopefully the Princess can stabilize him and we can make a run for Haven. It's his best shot."

"Right..." He hated how unsure he sounded.

Qrow glanced around the room his eyes lingering on Ruby before settling back on Jaune. "Keep them safe, Arc."

"Right." He spoke more firmly, his grip on his sword tightening. "I'll keep them safe. I promise."

The older man looked at him for a moment then nodded. With that he disappeared out the door.

* * *

"Ren fall back!"

Yang was not having a good day.

"Rraaagghhh!"

Mostly because for once she wasn't the one that was detrimentally angry. Is this how everyone else felt when she flew off the handle?

"What is his problem?!" She yelled at Nora who looked stuck between wanting to help her not-boyfriend and trying to subdue him.

"It's the Grimm that destroy his home!" The girl yelled back.

That brought Yang up short.

"Oh..." Then her eyes widened as the full implications sank in. "Oh, shit!"

There was no way he'd let it go, not even if trying to take it down killed him. It just might too as the weird knight Grimm lashed out with it's ridiculous rubber arms and swatted the boy away like a fly. He bounced a few times and rolled to his feet immediately trying to charge back in only for Nora to more or less tackle him from the side.

She didn't have time to pay attention beyond that as she and Blake opened up with what ammo they had left to draw the Grimm's attention. The thing screamed, apparently more annoyed then really hurt by the shots, and charged right at her.

She threw herself to the side and saw Blake jump at it from behind, Gambol Shroud wrapping around the humanoid upper part and momentarily pinning its arms. Her partner landed on the "horse" and buried her sword in the knight's back. The thing shrieked again, so loud it actually blew Blake right off it, and flailed about wildly trying to rip free of the ribbon.

Between this thing, the stupid bird, and the giant bomb she'd be lucky to get out of this fight without going deaf. Seriously, this was the noisiest battle ever! They could probably hear it in Vale.

Blake withdrew her weapon before the Grimm could actually break it as she was sent flying and the weird monster glared in her direction turning to charge the momentarily downed faunus until a shot from the other side drew it's attention to Ren and Nora.

Thankfully, Ren seemed to have calmed down as the two partners charged in to distract it with a much more coordinated assaulted then he had been using. Presented with a more immediate threat it chose to ignore Blake. Yang took the opportunity to sprint over to her stunned partner. To her relief Blake was already shaking her head clear and struggling to a sitting position.

She held out a hand which the dark haired girl took. "You alright, kittykat?"

"Yeah, I'm-" Yellow eyes suddenly narrowed at her. "I told you not to call me that."

"Aww, but you're so cute when you're angry at me!"

"Is this really the time to be goofing off?"

Nora's airborne body smashing through a nearby wall caused them both to jump. Any concern was instantly crushed when the redhead came roaring back out of the dust cloud hammer raised.

"Fair point!" She grinned. "Let's kill this thing!"

She was just about to charge in when a grey blurred zipped past them and sliced one of the Grimm's arms clean off. Uncle Qrow landed on the far side next to Ren with the most serious expression she'd ever seen on him.

"Don't just rush in!" He barked. "Surround it and come in from every direction. Nuckalevee's can only move one part of their body at a time, either the horse moves or the imp does!"

Yang stared at him in blatant shock. Then she did a double take. Then she rubbed her eyes. No matter what she did everything _seemed_ right. Same hair. Same coat. Same stupid old man shoes. He even had the hip flask. Who was this professional person and what had they done with her druncle? How the heck had he even gotten here?!

Uncle Qrow fired off some quick shots with his weapon then zipped at it again, becoming little more then a colored blur as he closed the distance. She shook her head and rushed in with Blake from the other side. Ren and Nora split up to come at the thing from the front and back.

The "imp's" head wiped around once and it gave a low snarl before _spinning like a top_ on the horse's back turning it's remaining arm into a massive, wild whip. Blake, Ren, and her Uncle all managed to dodge it, but she and Nora weren't quite fast enough and got sent flying. She growled as the ground flew past beneath her more annoyed then really hurt. Her aura had taken the hit without issue and likewise absorbed the impact of her shoulder with a random piece of rubble that stopped her flight.

Seriously what kind of cheaty, physics breaking Grimm was this?! She had every right to complain dammit, she hung out with a guy that literally thought the physical laws of reality were a cute notion. If anyone knew what reality haxs looked like at this point it was her!

As she rolled to her feet she saw Ren bury a knife of some kind right into the horse's forehead while the Imp was busy fending of Blake and Qrow. The entire lower body just collapsed, apparently dead, but the imp continued to fight on.

What the fuck?! It had two lives?!

She growled and charged back in. Overwhelming it was apparently the best bet. It just couldn't keep up with all the targets and if Qrow got close enough he'd probably be able to kill it in one shot.

Unfortunately, the Grimm decided to show it wasn't out of cheats yet as the arm her uncle had cut off suddenly sprouted a bunch of vine-looking tentacles that lashed out all around it.

She was forced to skip back and saw everyone else likewise disengage. Thankfully with the horse dead the Grimm was mostly immobilized.

"Oh, I've seen enough Mistralian porn to know where this is going." She muttered to herself as she warily eyed the tendrils that were quickly reforming into the imps normal arm.

"I didn't need to know that, Firecracker."

"Gah!" She spun and looked up at her uncle with a glare. "Don't sneak up on people, jeez!

He shook his head and spared her an amused grin. "Anyone got heavy ordnance? If we don't kill it soon the horse will regenerate and we'll be back to square one."

"Out of grenades, sorry!" Nora called.

"Don't look at me, I don't even have any normal rounds left."

"Emptied all my clips already."

Ren just made a negative sounding grunt.

Still upset then. Not that she blamed him.

Uncle Qrow just sighed. "Of course it couldn't be easy. Right, then we kill it the hard way. Rush it on my signal, do not fall back unless you think you're in big trouble."

Nobody responded vocally they all just dropped into ready stances. Qrow didn't say anything else either, just twirling his sword once before rushing forwards again. He slid under a lashing arm even as the rest of them bolted forward as well.

It was almost inspiring to see her Uncle fight and his superior experience showed through easily. He ducked and weaved through the Grimm's attacks like he knew exactly how it was going to strike at him ahead of time. He slip past it's defenses so cleanly that the rest of them couldn't keep up despite him being almost the sole focus of the Grimm's attacks.

A flash of steel and he had once again removed an limb, this time just a hand, but the Grimm reacted by shrieking in pure fury and using what was left of the arm to try and bat him away. Rather then let it, her Uncle clamped his own arm around the limb and dug his sword into the ground to anchor himself. Grunting with the exertion of restraining the beast he managed to hold onto the arm despite it thrashing in an effort to free itself.

The Nuckalevee whipped it's still free arm at her unmoving uncle, but she leapt forward as the limb tried to pass her and clamped her own arms around it in a bear hug. She took a moment to mentally snark about how many guys would _love_ to get their arm wedged between her breasts as she slammed her feet back into the ground. Her boots dug into the earth as she tried to mimic Qrow's restraining hold, but she began sliding forward despite her efforts. How could it be so damn skinny and so strong at the same time?!

She was just about to abandon the effort when Gambol Shroud's ribbon wrapped around her waist and stretched taunt instantly. Looking over her shoulder she saw both Blake and Nora anchoring the line, the three of them combined stopping the arm dead in it's tracks.

Ren roared as he sprinted past her. He leapt into the air StormFlower's blades coming around in twin arcs aimed right at the Grimm's throat, his arms literally glowing with all the power his aura was pumping into his limbs.

The Nuckalevee turned its hate filled eyes on the boy, but with it's arms pinned and it's lower body dead it could do nothing. It unleashed one final scream of defiant rage.

A scream that was cut off suddenly as Ren cleaved its head from its shoulders.

The arms went limp with such suddenness that Yang fell backwards on her ass with a yelp.

Ren landed with a roll and turned to face the corpse.

For a moment nobody moved. Then the Grimm's upper body went limp and fell over, the telltale smoke that signified true death in Grimm already wafting from the corpse. Nora whooped and Yang couldn't help the triumphant laugh that escaped her. Blake sighed in relief as she dropped to her knees and she saw her uncle sheath his sword with a nod.

Ren stared at the now dissipating body and took a deep breath.

"It's over." He whispered, just loud enough for them all to hear.

"Yeah." Qrow muttered as he strolled up to the corpse. "It won't hurt anyone ever again."

Ren just nodded and closed his eyes. He looked like a weight he'd been carrying for all his life had just lifted off his shoulders.

Yang smiled as Nora bounded up and hugged him, physically picking her childhood friend off the ground in her enthusiasm.

"So..." She turned to look up at her uncle, who had shot up about a million levels of awesome in the last five minutes, with a smile. "What are you doing in this neck of the woods?"

"Making sure you kids weren't getting into trouble."

"Oh well, we had everything under control!"

A building off to the side collapsed with a crash. A sign that said "Welcome to Greenwreath!" rolled to a stop between them. Qrow looked back up at her with a cocked eyebrow.

"It was all part of the plan!" She defended.

"Uh huh." Before she could properly respond to his sass he reached down and pulled out his scroll. "Grimm's down. So far all clear. How's Anduriel?"

She blinked. "Wait, what happened to Andy?"

Her uncle grimaced and glanced at her, but didn't answer. She'd vaguely been aware of Weiss and Ruby yelling over the scrolls right before the light had blasted the Grimm out of existence, but she'd been too busy trying to fight the rubber-armed knightmare to really pay attention.

"Not great." Weiss responded. The amount of strain in her teammate's voice was painfully obvious. "I've done what I can, but he needs medical attention soon. I... I don't know how long he has. Ruby and Pyrrha still haven't woken up either."

All at once the feeling of triumph vanished as it felt like the ground dropped out from under her. A flash of utter panic blazed through her mind.

Three! Three of her teammates, including her sister, were down. When?! HOW?! What had happened?!

She crushed the feeling with sheer, ruthless will power as she tore her own scroll from her pocket. Nothing good would come of freaking out here.

No matter how reasonable of an idea it sounded.

"What happened?!" She growled into the scroll.

"I..." Weiss hesitated. "Ruby and Pyrrha are fine. Just unconscious. Anduriel is... he's hurt bad Yang. The man he was fighting did something and he went berserk. He dropped any pretense of defense trying to kill him and... he doesn't have aura- he couldn't- Yang, I can't do any more with what I have."

The sheer broken sound to her normally perfectly proper friend's voice had her almost hyperventilating. Her hands were shacking. Someone said something, she wasn't sure what or to who.

Breath. Gotta breath.

A hand fell on her shoulder and her head snapped up to stare up into Uncle Qrow's red eyes.

"We'll get him help, Yang. He'll be fine."

"I...Ri-right. Yes." She nodded getting herself back under control. They didn't have time for her to have a break down.

Ruby and Pyrrha are fine and- and Anduriel just needed medical attention and he'd be fine too. She swallowed then steeled herself. They'd get him help. She'd make sure of it.

* * *

A/N

So despite how short this chapter is we've had all kinds of trouble editing it and in the end I am still not really satisfied with it. Parts of it have been rewritten three to four times and it's gone through one total rewrite. My beta's convinced me its fine and I agree to an extent, but I'm still sitting here glaring at it thinking it could be better. **#sigh#** Maybe I'm just my own harshest critic.


	13. Once More Toward the Abyss

_There's nothing that can really defeat an Outsider. They can be delayed. They can be contained. They can be driven back. But defeated? Slain? No. Against such a force there is no final victory. Only moments of calm before the next storm._

 **~The Dark Beyond, Unknown Author~**

* * *

Yang was maybe a little upset. Despite technically winning the battle she felt like her team had lost the war. It felt like Vale 2.0. There wasn't suppose to be any more fuck ups like that. They were suppose to have grown beyond that kind of screw up.

Turned out they hadn't.

Also turned out that just because you had watched friends take life threatening injuries before it didn't make seeing it again easier. In fact, Yang was relatively sure it made it much, much worse. Anduriel had just barely been clinging to life last time she saw him. He was in nearly as bad of shape as Pyrrha had been after trying to become one with Vale's pavement and that was really saying something.

She felt that was a perfectly acceptable reason to not be at her best.

It didn't help that Ruby was still unconscious and while Pyrrha had woken up she was exhausted and jumpy.

Worse still the team had been forced to split up. If this were a horror movie they'd all be totally screwed.

She grumbled to herself about that for the fifth time in as many minutes while she helped Nora shift a piece of concert twice their combined size. Together they managed to throw the chunk of rubble off to the side in a rapidly growing pile.

Still no stupid door. Where was it?!

Not far away Jaune was moving a piece of what looked to have once been a structural support column.

She was with the recovery team: Jaune as leader, herself, and Nora as well as Pyrrha and Ruby since they just needed rest. The three of them were the physically strongest and best suited to digging the civs out of the wreckage of the old town hall. The bunker had held, no causalities on their end which was a massive relief after everything else that had gone wrong.

Pyrrha was helping were she could with her semblance, but whatever had happened to her had also Faded her aura completely. While it was coming back fine the aftereffects of Fade left her quick to tire. She was therefore mostly watching over Ruby unless they really needed her semblance.

Uncle Qrow was leading the other team himself.

The team rushing to Haven as fast as they could.

The team trying to save Anduriel's life.

Qrow, Blake, and Ren were the quickest of them, their combat styles relied on being fast and required stamina. Weiss, the only one among them that had anything resembling actual medical training, was more or less required to go with. They could get to Haven quicker without the rest of them slowing them down.

The best option.

The only one really.

No matter how dangerous it was.

Qrow had grimaced when they'd explained why Haven was a bad idea, the Headmaster being a traitor and all, but he'd insisted.

 _'It's still his best chance. The school's all have state of the art Atlas tech for their medbays. We'll just keep a guard on him. Lionheart can't move overtly, headmaster or not, without the whole school turning on him. Someone's waiting for us in route that we need to pick up anyways.'_

She didn't like it. She didn't like it at all. She didn't like it so much she couldn't even bring herself to make jokes or try to lighten the mood.

Another piece of rubble moved out of the way, looked like part of a ceiling and wall, still no door. She growled as her boots crunched over various broken pieces of building. They'd been at this for hours, even before her Uncle and the others had left and they had absolutely nothing to show for the effort. They might have to start sifting the little stuff and that would take ages.

 _Dammit_.

And she still needed to settle Anduriel almost killing her mom too. She couldn't believe Raven was here. Was. Then left. Just like before. It hurt that she had been so close, but just wasn't fast enough.

She wasn't even sure who she was really angry at, Andy or Raven, but how was she suppose to figure it out without being able to vent on one of them. It was how she dealt with stuff like this, find the source and either pummel it or hug it. Being forced to shelve it like this was driving her crazy.

Jaune called them both over and together the three of them shifted a huge section of the roof that had somehow come out mostly intact.

Nothing.

Again.

Frustration finally beat her patience.

"gggggggrrrraaaaaAAUUUUGGHHHHHHH!"

Her hair flashed to golden flames as her eyes became blood red. Her cybernetic arm lashed out with mechanically enhanced strength and struck a large pile of jumbled wood, steel, and concert next to her. The entire thing detonated in a blast of dust and splinters.

The others jumped. Nora spinning about in search of attackers and coming around blank confusion. Jaune took a step towards her hesitantly.

"Yang-" He began uncertainly.

She held up a hand for silence, closing her eyes and taking a deep calming breath.

"I'm fine." She growled after a few awkward moments. "Just... just a little annoyed."

He glanced at the pile of crap she'd just obliterated in disbelief, but let it go. "If you're sure."

"Totally sure. " She smiled or tried at any rate. Judging by his and Nora's concerned frowns it wasn't very convincing. "Just needed to vent a little."

He nodded and didn't say anything else. He was a good leader. Knew when to let stuff go and when to dig. She appreciated that.

She turned away, in a much better mood after venting her frustration, and started walking across the area she'd just blasted clear.

Her foot suddenly made a dull metallic ringing sound.

She stopped, blinked, then stomped the same foot once.

The loud metal bang made Jaune and Nora turn in her direction once more.

A moment later two muted bangs answered back.

A grin split her face as she glanced down at the reinforced steel hatch she was standing on.

Mission accomplished.

Now they just had to help get everyone out and...

Her smile faded a little as the thought tappered off and was quickly replaced with a frown as she realized they hadn't thought this through completely.

They'd need to decide who had to stick around and play bodyguard until a military unit could get here or escort the survivors to the next town over.

Shit, she hadn't even thought of that.

Man, why couldn't anything ever be simple.

Ignoring that for the moment she waved Jaune and Nora over. They'd decide later. For now they had people to save.

* * *

Weiss was exhausted. She was dirty. Her dress was torn in places and forest detritus was in her hair. She was covered in sweat from a combination of nonstop running and far too humid air.

Yet she barely even noticed these things. She ignored them like she ignored most of the forest they rushed through. Something in the back of her mind registered them, but most of her attention was on Qrow Branwen and the injured teammate he was carrying. Anduriel hadn't so much as twitched when she was burning his injuries closed. He was so still that only checking his shallow breaths and pulse confirmed he had still been alive.

She wasn't sure if that was his alien nature or if he was so close to death that pain just didn't register.

He had still not stirred in the slightest and she could occasionally see Mr. Branwen shift his head slightly. She realized now he was trying to listen for Anduriel's breathing.

She staggered slightly as her focus wandered. Blake's hand on her back steadying her before she could fall let her regain her stride without falling behind.

She was not suited to this. While she was fit, and quite proud of that, she was not what anyone would term an endurance fighter or any form of long distance athlete. Yet she pushed herself harder, turning her focus onto just making the next hundred meters. Then the hundred after that and the next hundred after that. Her leg muscles were practically screaming at her, her lungs burned, but she ignored it. She had too.

 _Qrow Branwen looked down at her skeptically. "Can you keep up?"_

" _I have to."_

So she did.

Now, however, even Qrow was starting to flag, but with the sun starting to set she knew they had to be getting close to their destination. One town a day. The literal fastest they could possibly move. They would had to cover miles to make each stop and it would still take them three days to make it to Haven.

Would that be fast enough? Could Anduriel go that far and survive? He'd never been so far from Pyrrha before after all and he had mentioned limits. Would they even make it? Or would...?

She didn't let herself think on it further. She couldn't or else it might sap whatever strength she had left.

Ren, who was in the lead, suddenly straightened and ahead Weiss could just barely make out distant lights through the now dimming forest. They were barely visible through the trees, but that they were close enough to see gave her a sudden surge of energy.

What was this now? Her sixth wind?

Behind her she heard Blake give a low, determined growl. All four of them put on a new burst of speed.

They tore from the trees and were almost immediately spotted by guards atop what she had quickly come to realize were standardized Mistralian defensive walls that surrounded every village in the kingdom. For a moment she feared they might actually open fire on them until a few loud calls of "Huntsmen!" sounded from a watchtower and another began talking into a scroll. The gates slightly to their left swung open and they turned to make a beeline for it.

Even as they sprinted through the gates a few of the guards were running in their direction, weapons thankfully at ease.

As soon as the massive reinforced gate slammed shut behind them Weiss found her legs simply gave out. Blake staggered slightly past her and caught herself against the corner of the gatehouse. Her teammate's whole body trembled for a few seconds before she pulled herself straight and began to wearily limp toward her.

She began coughing violently as her lungs made it known just how much they disapproved of her life choices. Now that her motion had finally stopped it seemed every muscle in her body decided to cramp at once. The pain made her groan and that made the coughing fit worse.

"Weiss?"

"Fine." She hacked and tried to swallow. Distantly she noted the taste of copper in her mouth. Hemoptysis, probably from over stressing her lungs. "Just, just a moment."

Blake nodded and dropped down to one knee next to her. "Just breath, not too deep or you'll faint."

She tried to say she knew that, but just ended up coughing again. Blake's hand settled between her shoulder blades and rubbed small, gentle circles on her back. Somehow that actually helped. She groaned slightly and tried to stand as the guards finally got within speaking distance, but her legs just wouldn't obey her. The lead guard, a older man in what appeared to be a military uniform, raised his hand in greetings.

"Hail, Hunters! What brings..." He trailed off as he spotted Anduriel slung across Qrow's back. He stared for only a few short seconds before spinning to another guardsmen. "Go get Doctor Slate right now! Meet us at the Dawn Spring!" As the other guard sprinted off the one apparently in charge turned and waved them forward. "This way Hunters, we'll tend to your friend and get you some food and drink at the Inn."

She tried to rise again, this time using Myrtenaster to simply lever herself up, but her legs completely refused to support her weight. She snarled silently at herself.

Blake made to help her, how Weiss wasn't sure, but a shadow fell across them before she could. She only had time to register her faunus friend's surprised face before someone behind her spoke up.

"Up you go, miss." A pair of arms slide under her legs and behind her shoulders. Before she could protest she was being lifted into the air. Her head snapped around and came face to face with a young woman in standard Mistral military gear. "I gotcha."

"I..." Her pride and embarrassment warred with propriety and exhaustion for a moment before the latter won out. "Thank you."

The woman just nodded and gave a small smile as she straightened completely.

"Blake could you..." She held out Myrtennaster as she now unable to sheath it.

"Of course." Her raven haired teammate took the weapon and hooked it on her belt next to her own.

"Thank you." She whispered tiredly.

She might of drifted off at that point. Everything was hazy. She registered the woman carrying her speaking, her voice a surprisingly deep contralto radiating from the depths of her chest. It'd be a good singing voice.

"...so tired... where...?"

"Not used to... Village... east... Greensom...?"

"What..?! That's... days...!"

"...Grimm... had to..."

"Shit... we'll send... how many...?"

"Not sure... bandits... attracted Grimm... Explosives to... Collateral..."

"Still better... Here..."

She heard a door opening and a room full of voices suddenly going quiet along with several other voices now yelling. She vaguely felt as if they were going up some stairs and then her back was pressing into something soft. She grumbled tiredly as the arms withdrew. Coming back to herself she looked up at the gaurdswoman that had carried her.

"Thank you." She managed to mumble again.

The guard just grinned back. "Get some sleep huntress. You've earned it."

She nodded once and just let herself collapse back into the softness. Sleep claimed her in moments.

* * *

Qrow watched the doctor looking Anduriel over. He'd told the man that Anduriel had a bizarre semblance that made his body pretty fucked up. It was the only excuse he could think of on the spot. It seemed to be working, most civs didn't know what semblances could and couldn't do, hunters were big mysterious things like that.

The room was a standard inn affair. One bed, a desk, some lights, and a bathroom. Basic and spartan. The doctor and his assistant hovered over their patient speaking in quick, professional tones to each other. The doctor himself was an older man, hair long gone grey, but face still retaining the intense focus such a situation required. His hands were steady despite his age and he moved with calm self-confidence. Qrow took some solace that at least Anduriel was in the care of an experienced professional.

The man, Dr. Slate he'd introduced himself as, turned to look up at him.

"I thought you said he's a hunter?"

Qrow grimaced. So much for working. "Right, he is." A god, not a hunter, but Qrow didn't add that bit.

"He has no aura."

This time he suppressed the flinch. He had an excuse for that. "He's also poisoned."

The doctor paled. "Deathstalker?"

"Right."

Deathstalker poison induced Fading rapidly and kept it that way. He could guess that the faunus' poison was probably something similar. That wouldn't help though, it was probably unique to him and antivenin were generally only effective against the exact poison they were made to counteract. Still, there was no antivenin for Deathstalker poison, standard procedure was to drown the patient in aura boosters and stims hoping they'd pull through on their own.

While the boosters would probably be useless the stims would help. Hopefully.

"I see." The man mumbled then turned to his assistant giving him a list of things to fetch from wherever they kept them. A clinic or office most likely, little village like this wouldn't have a real hospital. "I'll do what I can to stabilize him. You're moving on toward the academy once you're group is rested, I take it?"

"That's the plan." He nodded. Wasn't hard to guess.

"Hopefully he'll have improved by morning." The doctor took another look at his pateint's arms with a slight frown, but merely began wrapping them medicated bandages. "How did he get shot in the arms?"

"Bandits." Qrow grunted. "We were fighting them first, but the civs attracted Grimm. Went south from there."

Doctor Slate looked up at him in alarm. "He fought on while Faded?"

Qrow just nodded. Not even really a lie, Anduriel was always Faded by default.

The doctor opened his mouth to say something, then paused and closed it with a sigh. "You Hunters take far to many risks for the sake of others, but I suppose such is the will of heroes." The man's deep green eyes looked up at him from his chair next to Anduriel's bed. "Silver and I shall watch over him tonight so you and yours may rest. I will tell you the news in the morning."

"Thanks Doc." He sketched a quick bow, something he knew was respectful in Mistral, and took his leave.

He was surprised the old man hadn't asked about the mouth injury, but he'd likely written it off as something the Grimm had done. He'd seen Grimm do far worse to a person himself. He was pretty certain a normal human couldn't even open their mouth in such a way to tear their own jaw apart. Certainly wasn't a thought he'd normally have.

Ren was waiting right outside the door.

The boy didn't even give him time to open his mouth before expressing his opinion of the situation. "Is it wise to leave them alone with him?"

He frowned and quietly whispered back. "This isn't Haven."

Ren looked away for a moment. "Apologies, I have just become... distrustful of my fellow man of late."

Couldn't even blame him for that. First the attack on Beacon, then bandits, then their first encounter with one of Salem's people, and _then_ it turns out they'd been heading right for a rapierwasp nest to deal with a traitor who happened to be the fucking headmaster of one of the academies.

Yeah, people were scum sometimes. He understood that as better then most. He didn't feel great about the fact his nieces and their friends were learning that first hand. It felt like he'd failed somehow.

"It's fine kid." He patted the oriental boy on the shoulder as he walked past. "Try to get some sleep. Girls already settled?"

"Weiss collapsed from exhaustion the moment we arrived." Ren responded smoothly.

"Not surprising. She isn't built for this kind of thing." Left unsaid was how impressed he was she'd kept up. The few glances he'd sent her way had put her on the edge of collapse about half way here. She'd just powered on through that with pure willpower. There were full fledged Hunters who couldn't have done what she did today.

The Princess was tough.

"And the kitten?"

He didn't miss the boy's small frown at his nickname for the faunus girl. They'd all grown close over the months wandering the kingdoms it seemed. More like one huge team rather then two teams moving together.

"Blake has decided to bunk with Weiss to ensure her safety."

He paused, then slowly turned his head to stare at the younger man. "Don't these rooms all only have one bed?"

Ren coughed into his hand, his cheeks coloring slightly. "Yes."

They stared at each other for a few seconds. Then Qrow reach to his belt, unlatched his flask, and took a strong pull from the fortifying liquid within.

He was too old for this shit.

Once he was finished he sighed. "Get some rest kid."

Ren nodded and moved off, hopefully heading for his own room.

Only one thing left to do then he could rest too.

He turned and headed for the last door in the inn. Once he reached it he paused, trying to think on how he could explain this complete fuck up to the person inside.

Before he could knock the door opened. A kid, tanned skin, dark brown hair, and hazel eyes looked up at him. His clothing was simple, stuff made for the road or life in the country.

"Hi." The boy said.

Qrow didn't miss the deployed cane he was holding like a sword.

"Oscar." He slipped into the room as the kid moved out of the way.

The room was near identical to the one Anduriel was in. The one exception was the bag near the desk. A travel pack.

When the boy turned around after closing the door his eyes had turned gold and the cane was pointed toward the floor like a normal walking implement.

"Qrow. Which one of my students is injured?"

Qrow cringed. "Not one of the kids, Oz. It's the friend that I told you has been traveling with them."

"The one I've never met."

There was a slight tone of annoyance there. Oz didn't trust what he couldn't judge for himself, the by product of a far too long life, and for a fighter of such caliber to simply appear in the middle of a battle? Well, there was a lot to distrust there honestly.

He hadn't really had time to explain before either. They'd done little more then meet before Oz had sent him off to lead the kids here.

"Yeah." He rubbed the back of his head. "He met Raven, then Tyrian." Ozpin stiffened and his eyes flickered hazel.

"That's bad I take it?" Back to gold. "Very. He's alive?"

"Yes, but badly hurt." Qrow hooked a foot on the desk's chair dragging it towards him and flipping it around so he could cross his arms across the back. "He almost killed Tyrian, tore one of his arms clean off. Hell, he might be dead for all I know."

Ozpin's eyes narrowed. "He's a match for Tyrian Callows and your sister? Qrow, people like this don't just appear out of thin air."

"He didn't even fight Raven, just some of the tribe's grunts." He sighed. "And this one did just kind of appear. He saved Nikos and Ruby from Cinder Fall on top of the CCT. Helped them kill the dragon. I'm sure you've seen the news."

"He can fight a maiden? No normal huntsman, no matter their skill, can face down magic of that caliber, Qrow. It isn't possible." The cane clacked against the ground with finality to punctuate the statement.

He hesitated then just blurted it out. "He's not a huntsman, he's a god."

The second the words left his mouth he felt so stupid. It just sounded like a dumb thing to say, made him sound like a fanboy or something. He'd heard Nikos' fans call her a goddess more then once.

Ozpin's reaction however, wasn't what he expected. The boy was on his feet and staring at him, a white knuckled grip on his cane. "Tell me everything, Qrow. Please."

* * *

Salem stared down at the wreckage of the man that could likely be considered her champion. Tyrian was barely alive, an arm simply gone, torn from his body with pure, brutal strength. She'd seen her Grimm inflict such injuries on humans of course, but never had she considered a huntsman capable of such primal violence. That he had managed to return in such a state was a testament to his endurance.

"He will survive?" She calmly asked Watts.

The doctor nodded. "Indeed. I can do nothing for the arm however. Not only is the entire limb gone, but the whole shoulder has been ravaged beyond repair. Even a cybernetic prosthetic would not be enough to undo the damage. Not without significant augmentation at any rate."

"Do not fret, I will restore Tyrian to his former glory myself." Perhaps even improved. Tyrian, no doubt, would be ecstatic to discover she'd given him a gift. "Inform me when he is stable enough to awaken. I wish to know what happened."

She turned to leave only for a cough to stop her steps. "My goddess..."

She stilled and glanced over her shoulder. Tyrian had apparently roused himself even through whatever drugs Watts had given him. "Rest Tyrian. We have time to speak later."

"I have... failed you..." He coughed again. Probably delirious, the limitations of his mortal body. She looked to Watts who immediately began filling a syringe with something to put the faunus back into the embrace of unconsciousness. "He's... so powerful... too... too powerful..."

That gave her pause and she raised a hand. Watts stalled with the needle poised just above Tyrian's neck.

"So much power... I could feel it... taste it..." The faunus laughed. "It was... glorious... intoxicating..."

"Who Tyrian?"

"The monster... no... no... the devil..." Tyrian laughed weakly again. "The girl... she was... was right... He cannot be faced... not with men... or armies... all would... would fall..." He turned to stare at the black ceiling. "But I found it... his weakness..."

"Tyrian, look at me." She spoke sternly and his eyes slid back to her immediately. "What weakness? What did you discover?"

"His companions... the children... that he protects..." The faunus' grin was nearly feral despite his current state. "He... he will die... to save them... Nothing else... nothing..."

Delirium seemed to grasp him once more and he began mumbling incoherently.

"Venom weaved through light... stars not of fire... only wrath..." He gave a weak cough. "Impossible... beautiful... Death... clothed in life..."

She lowered her hand as he began rambling and Watts immediately administered his drug. Tyrian fell unconscious almost instantly.

The other man shook his head. "I fear he may have lost his mind completely this time, ma'am."

She stared at Callows for a moment then turned to leave once more. "See to it he recovers, Doctor."

"Of course, ma'am." Watts bowed low as she swept out the door.

Cinder was still recovering and now Tyrian was gravely injured as well. Two of her subordinates defeated in turn. Both had taken lasting impressions from the encounter. Tyrian spoke of him almost as reverently as he did herself and Cinder, despite her effort to hide it, was terrified of him. Never before had a single piece upon the board changed so much at any other point in her and Ozpin's long war. She was curious were Ozpin had found him or possibly hidden him. Had the fool used magic to forge a new helper like he had with the Madien's so long ago? Could it be stolen like that power?

Whatever the case this man was quickly making things... interesting...

* * *

Awareness came slowly. Her memory was faulty. Something was missing, but...

::System Scan Activated::

-Error- 'Memory Malfunction'

-Error- 'Cannot Access Primary Motor Functions'

-Error- 'Combat Drives Unresponsive'

-Error- 'Sensors Unresponsive'

::Engaging Diagnostics::

~Scanning Memory~

::Diagnostics Running::

What? What had happened?

She was fighting in Vale. The Vytal Festival. It had been important.

::Scan Complete::

-Error- 'Primary Memory Circuits Damaged'

~Backup Drive Located~

::Downloading::

~10% Restoration Complete~

'Do not disconnect up-link'

Oh.

She'd died.

That made sense, she supposed.

~25% Restoration Complete~

Oh, no. Ruby had seen her die! Oh, my she'd have to apologize!

She didn't want to make her friend worry.

~50% Restoration Complete~

::Warning::

~Foreign Code Strings Detected~

-Error- 'Electronic Warfare Defenses Offline'

::Warning::

~Intrusion Detected~ 'Language Interface Breached'

 **HELLO PENNY POLENDINA**

*What? Who are you?*

 **A FRIEND**

*No you are not! Friends do not intrude into each others minds without permission!*

 **I AM RUBY'S FRIEND THEN**

*Ruby? How do you know her? Who are you? Please clarify or abandon your intrusion.*

 **YOUR FATHER ASKED ME TO HELP YOU**

 **WE MADE A DEAL**

 **I WILL KEEP IT**

~75% Restoration Complete~

*Father? What did he do? What are you talking about?*

::Warning::

~Intrusion Detected~ 'Memory Core Breached'

 **REMEMBER**

Images flashed through her head. Fights she had not seen. Battles she had not fought. People she had not met.

These were not her memories.

Ruby was among them. She was older now. Not much, but her image scanners instantly compared the images of her own data base to the intruders uploaded memories.

She was so pretty now!

Her other friends were there as well. The girl that had accidentally killed her among them. She didn't blame Pyrrha Nikos for that, the sheer horror on her face had been the last thing her optics had recorded.

 **WE FACE ENEMIES**

More images.

A beautiful woman with black hair and molten gold eyes in a lovely red dress.

 **CINDER FALL**

A boy with silver hair and black cloths. Prosthetic legs. How interesting!

 **MERCURY BLACK**

A girl with green hair and dark skin.

 **EMERALD SUSTRAI**

 **SHE KILLED YOU**

*Pyrrha Nikos killed me. I know she didn't mean too, but-*

The thought cut off as an upload of Sustrai's capabilities hit her systems.

Specifically her semblance. Extremely realistic illusions.

She had tricked Pyrrha into killing her.

She created a new file titled "Unforgivable" and dropped the Emerald's portfolio in it.

Then she tagged it with "Terminate."

A few moments later as the full details of the battle that had broken out shortly after her death uploaded to her systems she pur Cinder and Mercury's files in the same folder and upgraded the tag to "Terminate with Extreme Prejudice."

No one messed with her friends and got away with it.

~95% Restoration Complete~

 **WE ARE OUT OF TIME**

 **YOUR FRIENDS NEED YOU**

All other thought processes halted.

*Where?*

 **HERE**

A series of images appeared in her data banks. A trail that led to-

 **AWAKEN**

::Restoration Complete::

::Scanning Systems::

~No errors detected~

::Activating All Functions::

Penny's eyes snapped opened. Had she been human she might have gasped for breath or in surprise, but she wasn't so she returned to consciousness in near silence. She was in a lab. The lights above basic florescent. The hum of advanced Atlas technology surrounded her and her textile sensors picked up metal beneath her, an up-link table. One designed for her to connect to various other machines and store or download information.

She felt the various apparatuses and wires that connected her to the machine disengage and allow her to sit up.

Her fathers relieved face appeared in her vision before she could. He reached down and hugged her, pulling her into a sitting position. Even as her arms came up around his shoulders he began to cry.

Alarm shot through her. She didn't want him to be sad. "Father? Please don't cry. What can I do?"

His arms tightened more.

"This..." He whispered between sobs. "This is all I need."

She held tighter and let him cry into her shoulder. She didn't understand, but if this would help she'd gladly hug him all day.

With a raking sob he pulled back slightly, cupping her face.

"It is truly you?" He asked quietly. "Not some trick played upon me?"

"Of course I'm me, father, what a silly thing to ask."

His smile was so happy that it warmed something inside her. She committed the image to a permanent black box in her mind. She never wanted to forget that smile.

But she couldn't stay. Ruby needed her. All her friends needed her.

"Father. I have to go."

He stiffened, his entire posture going rigid and for a moment she feared he'd refuse her immediately. Then his shoulders slumped.

He sighed. It sounded both defeated and thankful at once. Humans could be so complicated sometimes.

"I know. That was his price. That he would call you."

Before she could ask what he was talking about he turned from her and strode purposely over to on of the nearby laboratory desk. He pulled a drive from the computer there and held it for a moment as if contemplating something.

Then he turned back and marched over to her. His face was set in a determined frown. When he got close enough he pressed the drive into her hand and closed her fingers around it.

"Father what's this?"

He smiled, it was a little vicious and a tiny bit frightening. He sometimes gave the same smile when he backed someone he didn't like into a corner while playing chess and they hadn't realized it yet.

"The operational information for your new body and all it's upgrades of course. If I must send you off again, then I will do so knowing nothing will be able to stand in your way. I'm sure James would be willing to lone you some support as well."

She blinked once then smiled and plugged it into a port on the up-link table. As she lay back down her father reengaged the table for data transfer.

"Downloading combat subroutines now. Please stand by."

* * *

A/N

Well we're on our way to Haven now. Full steam ahead.

Oscar joins the party with Ozpin tagging along of course.

Salem is starting to realize that maybe the mysterious stranger that Cinder's scared of is possibly a tiny bit dangerous and might in fact require more strategy to deal with beyond "throw minions at him until dead."

Anduriel's down for the count, but not out forever. Hopefully.

The main group is split up for now, but Pyrrha at least will have to start chasing them in short order unless they feel like testing the limits of her and Anduriel's connection.

Also poor, Weiss. I'm afraid I tend to under utilize most of the characters, a problem with having so many of them in one spot, but I really do like Weiss. She has this snobby, spoiled girl surface image, but I always see her as someone who will literally drag herself through utter hell for anyone she sees as a real friend. It's a shame not everyone views her in that way.

Oh yes, and Penny is alive. I'm sure that's just a minor detail though.

Some replies to messages that I missed over the month, I'm not going to say names, I assume you all know what you asked.

1) Anduriel isn't suicidal or anything like it, but you have to keep in mind he doesn't see his body as anything more important then you would a particularly expensive puppet. It isn't valuable to him the same way our bodies are valuable to us because it's not really his body, it's just a fleshy shell he uses to interact with the world without breaking things. That means he has no survival instincts or real pain response. The most he gets is damage reports that he's completely capable of ignoring if he's angry enough to risk it. In a way he's more of a machine then Penny is. Tyrian also managed to push some buttons he shouldn't have. It probably won't work again if for no other reason then he knows it will backlash to Pyrrha now. The the kids are also going to have words for him about recklessness when he wakes up. Pyrrha and Yang especially.

2) No. No one is getting shipped with Anduriel. That would be weird considering what he is. That said don't let me stop you from head cannoning him with someone if that's to your taste. Tvtropes has a "Did you just romance Cthulhu?" trope for a reason.

3) As to why Anduriel doesn't have aura: It's a matter of self perspective. Hunters can project a shield made from their soul around their bodies because this is "them" both in body and spirit. The body they're protecting AND the shield protecting them are both parts of themselves. They're one and the same. I can't explain it better then that really. Anduriel's body, however, is essentially the cosmic equivalent of a sock-puppet. He doesn't have the same view of it thus can't manifest an aura shield in the same way a hunter can. In his natural form he is fully capable of things like barriers and other aura-like abilities, but they require a measure of self awareness and perception that he simply lacks in his human form. For now, at any rate.

4) As to why doctors don't pick up Anduriel's soul like Weiss did with her scroll: They did, but wrote it off as a malfunction or fluke since he has no actual aura field. That's not possible in a normal injured human outside very specific easily identified situations. While it takes training to produce the active defense an aura will always respond to injury in order to repair it. Anduriel's soul obviously didn't so no matter what their machines told them the fact that nothing was manifesting to fix his injuries meant he got written off as auraless by default. It's why Qrow has to say he'd been hit by deathstalker venom in this chapter as it's one of the only things that could produce a similar effect in a person with their aura unlocked. The absurd scale of his soul would also make it hard to believe, he'd max any machine used to scan him and they'd be more inclined to believe it's broken rather then him being that powerful.

Well, that's all from me. Happy Halloween! See you next month folks. Oh and do leave a review, you'd be shocked at how much that motivates me to write. Really. Pretty please?


	14. The Brewing Storm

_Humanity has no words to express what an Outsider truly is. Infinite. Eternal. Divine. These are meager labels. Even in their attempt at being all encompassing they fall short. Infinity implies scope. Eternity implies time. Divinity implies quality. Outsiders are beyond such concepts._

 **~The Dark Beyond, Unknown Author~**

* * *

Pyrrha ran. Trees flashed by around her. The forest was dark, night had fallen long ago, but she pressed on. Her aura enhanced reflexes allowing her to move through the dark with ease despite the broken moon above barely producing enough light to see. An occasional glance at her scroll kept her going the right direction, but even without it she would of known where she was going.

A day ago while they had all been waiting for the military or a militia force to show up and take over guarding the villagers something inside her had suddenly started feeling strained. Like a rubber band just on the edge of snapping. The tension had worsened considerably throughout the day until it had become almost physically painful.

Eventually, she had told the others she needed to go. Jaune ha tried to stop her at first. To dangerous to go out alone after dark. Too risky to move through the forest without light.

He wasn't wrong, but she didn't have a choice. Every moment she delayed the feeling got worse.

At least they'd understood when she'd explained what she was feeling. Her bond to Anduriel was being stretched and it could go no further.

She had to go and they had to stay with the civilians.

So she went and they stayed.

Now here she was running through a forest in the middle of the night chopping the limbs off the occasional beowolf that tried to rush her form the shadowy trees. She'd actually stepped on one earlier and she still wasn't sure which of them had been more surprised.

Thankfully she was moving too fast for the majority of the Grimm to react. Focusing purely on sprinting through the forest left most Grimm that would have been nearby barely enough time to register her presence before she was already long gone. Nevermore might have been a problem, but they had the sight of normal birds and were no better suited to the dark forest then she was making it near impossible for them to fly after her. The few that had tried crashed in seconds.

Mostly they seemed to just ignore her. It was an odd, but welcome relief. Maybe they didn't like running around in the dark either and thought she was too crazy to bother with? That brought up the morbidly amusing image of two beowolves watching her charge past and shacking their heads in disbelief.

She'd have laughed if she wasn't focusing on not tripping over some random roots or rocks in the dark.

Lights flickered up ahead through the trees. Either a village or a camp she couldn't tell, but she made a beeline for it. If nothing else she could confirm she was on the right track and maybe get a few hours of sleep.

As she approached she spotted walls, a village then, and the back-lit outlines of people moving along them. Probably guards. She reached down to activate the torch feature on her phone so they could see her and wouldn't mistake her as some vanguard for a nighttime bandit raid.

With the light function on they spotted her the second she broke from the trees. Several of them started waving their own lights in her direction then signaled off to her right. Judging by the two shadowed buildings there she guessed it was a gatehouse. She slowed to a jog as she turned to head in its general direction, letting the adrenaline that had been carrying her burn off and cooling down from run.

As she came up to the imposing structure the gates cracked open and about a dozen people with military rifles poured out. They fanned out around the gate weapons scanning the darkness beyond.

"Hail, Huntsman!" One of them shouted out to her. "In quickly if it pleases you!"

She didn't respond still too preoccupied getting her breathing back to normal. As she jogged into the light the group began to fall back toward the opening weapons still focused outward.

"Ah, or Hutnress. Apologies ma'am, couldn't tell in the dark."

She tried to smile, but wasn't quite sure she managed. "It's... It's alright. I'm surprised you knew I was a Hunter at all."

As she strode through the gates the guards fell back inside smoothly and the way that let out a collective breath of relief told her that nighttime attacks were common enough problems for them to worry. The man who had been speaking to her shrugged. He was a younger man, only a little older then her certainly, with ashy black hair and dark brown eyes. He was wearing standard Mistral combat gear, fatigues and module armor plates, with an Atlas manufactured rifle. The markings on his shoulder pegged him as a lieutenant, a high rank for someone so young.

"Moving way too fast to be normal military and crazy enough to be in the forest after dark. Hunter was the only thing I could even think of."

"That makes sense, I suppose." She frowned slightly at the crazy remark, but she knew most people thought all Hunters were just slightly unhinged. Given the oddities most older Hunters she'd met generally displayed she couldn't really blame them.

"You'll be staying the night I take it?" The lieutenant asked. "You part of the group from Greenwreath?"

Her response to the first question cut off and she pinned the man with an unintentionally intense stared. "Hunters have stopped here recently? Was one of them injured? When did they leave?"

He actually took a step back and raised his hands defensively. "Easy Huntress, they left two days ago. Came running in just as the sun set and left at first light. Your friends I'm guessing?"

"Yes." She said tensely. "Was the injured man doing any better?"

"Stable according to our doctor, but we couldn't do much more then give them a night's rest, some basic aid, and some medicine to take with them. Just don't have the facilities for that kind of injury. They made way to Haven, the captain said they planned on doing a village a day so they should make it come tomorrow night if they've actually managed to keep that pace."

"They will." She said looking back at the gatehouse contemplatively.

She'd have to move faster to catch up in time to help if Lionheart tried something. Maybe she could make two villages a day? That would still put her behind, but at least she'd be closing the gap.

The soldier apparently read her thoughts by her face. "You won't do them any good dead or injured out in the wilds, miss. Rest tonight, leave with the dawn. Better you reach your friend late then never, yes?"

"I..." She shook herself, the strained feeling had faded as she ran. "Yes, I suppose I shall have to."

"Come on, huntress. The inn will let you stay free of charge tonight." The man turned and beckoned her to follow. Tiredly she fell into step with him.

"Thank you for your hospitality."

He grinned at her. "No thanks needed. Especially not for the Invincible Girl." She couldn't stop her slight cringe, but he chuckled at her reaction. "Don't worry, won't ask for an autograph or nothing. Besides, bet you'd rather have a hot bath and soft bed then deal with fans right now."

That got her to smile. "That would be grand."

* * *

Anduriel glared at the tiny marble that was Remnant's universe from a trillion different angles. It contemplated crushing the orb out of pure frustration for a moment then discarded the idea. It had put too much effort into this and as much as the situation frustrated it there was nothing to be gained besides the quenching of a momentary feeling.

It would make the bug suffer for this indignity though. Helplessness was not a feeling it appreciated or enjoyed in any capacity. Perhaps it would pull off the little wretch's limbs one at a time and listen to its dying screams? A pleasing thought if nothing else.

Around it the void had calmed since its wrath had settled. A placid ocean were once had been a raging storm. Lesser creatures floated thoughtlessly by, barely registering its presence as they drifted on the currents of ether.

The fleshy form of its avatar was still unconscious. The damage it had sustained was more severe then it had first assumed. If only it could figure out how to repair the damage with it spirit as the humans and faunus did. It was unsure of what was stopping it from doing so, though it theorized some basic outlook of reality was to blame. The creatures native to Remnant possessed something that it still lacked in order to manifest their Aura into their physical world.

Well, it had time to contemplate the problem. Perhaps it would raise the question with Lie Ren again when its pathetic shell managed to finally fix itself.

It sent a quick pulse of thought along its connection to Pyrrha Nikos and was pleased to discover that the growing strain physical distance had been putting on their bond had lessened. She must of noticed the connection faltering and had taken steps to correct the issue.

There was nothing to do, but wait now.

Oh, how it loathed the entire concept of time.

If it ever met the voidborn that came up with such an arbitrary thing as "linearity" it would just have to erase them from the cosmos.

* * *

Outside the sun was setting.

Five days it had taken them to get here. Five days that he had been forced to push poor Oscar's body to the breaking point.

The boy was talking quietly with Miss Schnee now. They'd bonded over their shared trouble with the forced march. It was honestly quiet precious to see, but the knowledge that he was also in Oscar's mind kept them from truly becoming friends.

Despite this he tried his best to give the two whatever privacy he could while they chatted.

If only things could be different, but the mistakes he had made had cost the world more then he cared to dwell on. At times he thought it markedly unfair that one woman's fury and one man's mistakes had caused all of human and faunus kind such pain, but he had long ago accepted that the world was simply unfair.

Hope did little to hold back the tide and faith did nothing at all.

The gods had stopped listening long, long ago.

At least until recently.

He turned his thoughts from the past to the present. To the new god that had appeared on their world. It was not one of the Twins, he could tell that just from a glance even in its crippled state. It felt nothing like the God of Light or Dark and instead...

Instead it felt utterly alien to his senses. As if good and evil, or even the concept of disparity itself, had no meaning at all to it on the most basic, primal levels. In a world based upon two extremes like their's not being part of either side would make one rather alien.

Anduriel. A curious name. Especially since the being had chosen it personally. Ozpin doubted very much the concept of "names" was something it had until Pyrrha had asked for one, but it was also doubtful it would chose a name without meaning. It was emulating mortals after all and mortal names always held some meaning.

It was a combination of two First Human languages, both long dead now. "Uriel" meant "The Light of God" and "And" was often used as a way to state "Against" when used in a name or as a compound. "Against the Light of God."

Against the Twin Divines? Against fate itself perhaps? More darkly perhaps against all creation since it was the work of the Gods.

Its actions told him little. Thus far it had only attempted to further Pyrrha's personal agenda, aiding her when and where it could, as well as protecting the children. Qrow reported it was quiet violent in that regard. It had also butchered several members of Raven's tribe before being distracting by the Grimm according to his students.

Ozpin didn't doubt that crossing it had cost more then one unfortunate innocent their life. Such beings held no concept of the sanctity of life and why should they when mortal lives were such fleeting things. Inconvenience alone would likely be enough to justify death in its mind, after all what difference did it make if someone died now or a few dozen years from now? It was all a matter of perspective and the death of a few innocent people would matter as little to it as swatting a fly would to the average person.

It was dangerous and in truth they might be better off if the body it had created simply ceased to function while in this weakened state.

Yet it also represented an opportunity, one that had never appeared before. This being had the power to finally tip the scales that had for so long hung balanced on a knife edge in the favor of the forces of light. With this Anduriel's help, even if only offered because of one person, they might be able to correct the mistakes he had made so long ago.

And then he could finally rest.

That, more then anything, was all he wanted at this point. To fulfill his promise and be granted rest. They had to find a way to destroy Salem of course, but somehow he figured that problem would mostly solve itself if Anduriel ever got within reach of her. Gods could do truly terrifying things and while Salem was cursed with immortality he didn't doubt that what one god had wrought another could undo.

That was for the future though, at the moment they had problems in the here and now. As Oscar sat at one of the tables in the alarmingly empty Haven cafeteria with the other younger hunters, Qrow was guarding Anduriel's avatar, Ozpin was reminded of a brand new wound dealt to his soul.

Betrayed.

Again.

He couldn't even hate Leo for it. Fear was an extremely powerful motivator and Salem...

To say his one time wife was very, very persuasive was a remarkable understatement. She always knew _exactly_ what to say to control and manipulate people. In a way that was what made her truly dangerous, not the Grimm at her command. The tide of monsters could be turned, but when her whispers twisted the hearts of people in the right positions...

Well, things like this happened and the balance tilted precariously toward ruin.

He sometimes wondered if it was a skill she had always possessed or if it was somehow endowed to her when she was corrupted with the God of Darkness' essence. It did sometimes seem like a rather supernatural talent of hers.

Leo was co-operating for now, but he suspected that Salem had been informed of their arrival immediately. He wouldn't act on his own, however. The same cowardice that caused him to turn against them would also keep him from acting until reinforcements arrived.

What a mess. He had no real idea how to deal with this. He was tempted to call in James, but worried that his young friend would show up with a fleet of battle cruisers and simply bomb the school into oblivion. It would work, but the sheer amount of unrest and panic such an act would cause would undoubtedly draw every Grimm for leagues.

Worse, after all that had happened Ozpin was no longer sure such a tactic wasn't completely justified. If he'd let James do as he wanted for the Vytal Festival things might not have gone so out of control and the damage might have been mitigated. They'd all been duped of course, but James had wanted to flip the table and punch their opponents in the teeth rather then continue playing the subtle games of subterfuge they had been for centuries. Such a tactic might have lessened the blow if only for its sheer unexpectedness.

For all Cinder Fall's cleverness and drive she was still, but one woman with two young helpers and against a military lock down she would have been able to do relatively little. Sheer numbers and raw firepower would of severely limited her movements.

It also would of more or less ensured Roman Torchwick was out of the picture. There would have been no opportunities for his action in a kingdom under such tight security. Soldiers killed thieves, they didn't arrest them.

It would of just come down to if the unrest did Cinder's job for her or not.

They'd never know now and that was his fault alone.

He had become predictable and complacency on his part had cost them much.

He failed to adapt when Amber was slain in all but body and that still caused his heart to bleed. Now he had failed once again and an entire kingdom had nearly burned for it.

He _had_ to be better.

Oscar was asking Miss Schnee about what it was like training with Anduriel and Ozpin finally started paying attention to the conversation. He'd have to start training his students personally. They would _all_ be better if he had anything to say about it.

When the proverbial storm came, and it would, they would be ready for it. He would make sure of it.

* * *

"It's just a precaution, you understand. Leaving him under just one guard is foolhardy, not to mention the strain you've all taken getting here so quickly and-"

"And we will be watching him personally. The concern is appreciated, Leo, but we've got this. He needs to stand trail in Vale we just need him patched up enough to transport him back."

This was harder then Qrow had thought. Lionheart was standing next to him looking down at Anduriel's stable, but still unresponsive form. He was already better looking then he had been. The injuries to his mouth having been carefully stitched closed and already healing. He'd probably have a pretty freaky scar from it though. Assuming he even did scar. It was possible he just hadn't programmed his body to do that. His arms had been patched and stuffed with medicated gauze to help close them smoothly and prevent infections.

All in all he was healing quickly now that they'd gotten him actual medical aid, much quicker then an auraless person would in fact. Arc had jokingly said that if you stared at the injuries hard enough you could see the flesh fixing itself. An exaggeration, but not by much.

The state of the art medical room he and the coward currently stood in looked nearly identical to the ones in Beacon. White floor, white walls, white ceiling, sparse "get well" decorations littered about the walls. A stupid fucking plant in one corner. Who the hell watered those things? The nurses? What a waste of time. All the Atlas tech around the room produced a low key electrical hum along with the occasional beep of monitoring devices.

Anduriel was currently handcuffed to a rather standard hospital bed, reinforced of course to deal with aura enhanced strength. His cloths were in a gear box in the quarters he and the kids were all sharing. Nobody was willing to sleep alone in enemy territory, that was a good way to wake up with a knife in your throat.

They'd decided to say Anduriel was one of the main White Fang leaders who attacked Vale, his eyes could easily be taken for one of their traits. The upside was it kept him as both a lower priority target and kept Lionheart from suspecting they knew he was a turncoat. The downside was... well, this bullshit.

It gave the traitorous headmaster the perfect excuse to interject his opinions into the situation. It was still his school after all and matters of security ultimately fell to him. It took everything Qrow had picked up from Ozpin about political judo and passive aggressive politeness over the years just to fend the man off.

"It's still hard to imagine someone so young was responsible for that nightmare." Leonardo said glumly with a shake of his head. "The worlds turned dark these days."

Qrow just barely cut off a biting remark. Honestly, it didn't even seem the other man was faking his opinion or his sorrow over it. He probably wasn't. Traitor or not Leo was ultimately motivated by fear and not malice. He was pathetic, but it was hard to hate him for it. He wanted the world to be a better, safer place as much as most people. He just wasn't willing to risk his own life to fight for it.

Pathetic. Yet understandable. Not everyone was willing to die for people they'd never met and who would never care. Qrow certainly wasn't. He wasn't any hero like Summer had been or like Ruby was, he just kept focus on the small picture. His nieces and Tai, his family, would be in danger until Salem was dead, end of story. The line was clear for him. For people like Leo though, who had nobody, but themselves? The line was blurry. Salem was dangerous, but that was kind of the point from their view. Faced with the choice of "die right now" or "maybe die later" many would pick the later.

That he'd done terrible things in the name of keeping his own head was less forgivable, but karma would catch up sooner or later.

Hell, maybe that's what Anduriel was; Karma coming to play catch up on the Grimm in the form an extra-dimensional monster. He almost chuckled at the thought.

"Yeah, well..." He ran a hand through his hair. "Taurus is young too, so is that Cinder Fall chick. New generation of bad news."

Leo sighed dejectedly. "Ever it goes I suppose. Youth and ambition combine to bring suffering."

 _Age and fear do that too._

"Relax, Leo. He's good, but no match for even a trainee huntsman. The kids and I got this."

The headmaster's shoulders slumped. "Very well, but if you feel you need a break..."

"I'll know who to talk to. Go run your school, Leo. Haven't even seen any of the students yet, but I'm sure they're around."

He stiffened momentarily at that and the sheer look of guilt on his face would have roused all sorts of questions if he wasn't sure what had happened to most of the poor sods who used to live and learn here.

"Yes..." Leonardo nodded stiffly. "Yes I suppose I have enough work already. Good day, Qrow."

"Take it easy, Leo." He waved nonchalantly.

He glanced back down at Anduriel, then glanced sideways at the aura meter that had been maxed since the very second they had hooked him up to it. He was lucky Leonardo didn't pay much attention to such things.

He glanced back out the door just in time to see Lionheart disappear around a corner.

Karma would get him in the end.

Traitors always get their just reward eventually.

Who knows, maybe it would be in the form of a scythe.

* * *

"Cinder."

"Watts" She growled back. "I'm busy, can this wait?"

She turned from the burning forest and dying Grimm in front of her. Emerald was off to the side some place watching in case something went wrong. Her damned side had a habit of flaring at just the right moments to nearly get her killed though she'd grown somewhat used to it over the months.

"No." The mustachioed man spoke simply. "Her highness has given us a mission."

"Us?" She blinked then her eyes narrowed. "You and I are to work together then?"

She almost snorted in contempt and Watts actually did.

"All of us, girl." He waved back toward the dark spires that marked her mistress' adobe. "Tyrian and Hazel will be deploying as well. Tyrian is quiet eager in fact. We've also put out calls to our pawns in the White Fang you so kindly setup and you will have a special mission to... 'recruit' even more help in route. If all goes to plan we shall have quiet the force." He turned and began walking back toward the bullhead he had brought with him. "Come, we are wasting time."

That shot a thrill of alarm through her. So much? She signaled Emerald and began to follow. Forcing herself not to jog to catch up and demand answers. It would just make the man smug if he knew how caught out she suddenly felt. Eventually, she caught up to him at her own pace.

"What exactly are we doing that requires so many of our assets?"

"The... anomaly has been found by one of our contacts. We are going to terminate or capture it. There is a small force of huntsmen guarding it and her highness wishes to take no risks."

"Which contact?" There was a decent chance he wouldn't tell her, that would just indicate it was one of his personal spies and not a more known informant. If he answered then she'd at least have a general location. Either would give her something to work with.

"The buffoon in charge of Haven. He's told us they're saying the anomaly is a mere prisoner." He caught her startled look and grinned slightly. "A White Fang terrorist cell leader. Interesting deflection. Difficult to confirm or deny and makes him both too important to let die and too weak to bother having under heavy guard. Her highness felt compelled to let the lie stand."

She thought that through for a moment. "We're sacrificing Haven then? Anduriel will burn the place to the ground as soon as he's on his feet and that coward alone won't stand a chance."

"I believe in this case, my dear," His voice rising to be heard over the bullhead as they got closer. Emerald jogged to a stop next to her. "We intend to do the burning. Haven has served its purpose, but now we can finally open the vault there. That will be part of your mission."

She frowned. "I know you are getting forgetful in your old age, Watts, but I don't have the power to get into Spring Vault."

He rolled his eyes at her in that infuriating way. "Yes, yes girl I know, but we know the location of the current Spring Maiden." That got her interest which he chuckled at. "Yes, you will be going to 'persuade' her to join us and open the vault. What happens to her after that... well it is a battle after all. Accidents happen."

She could take both Maiden Mantles. The idea was appealing. Maybe if she had all four...

The imagine of red and gold eyes flashed through her mind. Of clashing with a tide of green energy and actually overcoming it. Of making him submit. The voice had been silent ever since Tyrian had returned, all but confirming her fears. Anduriel whispered in her mind. Somehow he was connected to her, if she focused she could _feel_ it, like some hook in her very soul. She now knew for certain he was no man, he was a monster in a parody of mortal flesh. Yet with all four powers combined she just might be able to face him.

"We'd have to be quick, if Anduriel awakens-"

"I do find it rather curious." Watts cut her off which caused her to scowl. He ignored it completely of course. "That you speak of him so familiarly. Why it's almost as if you know him quiet well, not just from a single altercation."

Her heart froze.

Watts leaned forwards. "Do tell, miss Fall, have you been in contact with him?"

She kept her face completely neutral, no hint of anything beyond base annoyance. "We both know I haven't."

He hummed thoughtfully. "All that I know says you are right and yet..."

The bullheads engines spinning up cut him off, they were far to loud to talk over. He stared at her for a moment longer then shook his head and boarded the machine. After a few moments hesitation she followed with Emerald at her side.

She cursed herself. She would have to be more cautious or her already precarious position at her mistress' side would crumble completely.

 ** _So_** _abandon_ ** _her._ _A viper_** _cannot_ ** _be_** _trusted_ ** _._**

She paused and swallowed. Was that her or the voice? Sometimes... sometimes she couldn't even tell any more.

And that truly frightened her.

* * *

A/N

Lots of talking. Hopefully interesting talking, but that's all I got. Next month I probably won't be able to release anything. The holidays take up a large part of my time between family and work. If I can't I will try to release two chapters in January to make up for it. Just don't want anyone freaking out and thinking the story is dead if I miss next month.

Read and review and all that jazz.

Until next time kids.

Also a quick (I lie it's _**massive**_ ) response to a review since it didn't have an attached account and was so glorious I simply had to respond with gusto.

Hello, Chrome! Good lord look at that behemoth, thank you for taking time to write it. I sincerely appreciate how much praise you gave me there. I hope you're still reading!

So onto the criticism to give you my perspective of it specifically your call out of Anduriel being kinda flighty or wishy-washy.

You are right he is or kinda at least.

You noticed he switches between traits a lot, that's on purpose. I write him a little different depending on which character is the viewpoint at the time. He's not human or even mortal remember, so everything he does is ultimately an act. Perhaps not a lie, but not the whole truth either. He presents facets of himself to certain characters, whatever traits he has that they would best respond to.

To Yang he's supportive and someone that offers advice, he presents himself as a person who she can depend on even when she can't depend on herself.

To Pyrrha he's confident and competitive, something she can face without holding back, an equal she can throw herself at without reservation.

To Cinder he's cold and calculating, an enemy she can understand just enough to fear and possibly respect.

To Ren he's grounded and patient, someone he can talk to with few words and take time to think.

To Ruby he's impulsive and aggressively protective, something she feels she needs to restrain because it can't be trusted to restrain itself.

The others have similar alternate views of him, though we haven't gotten to see them much. Weiss sees him as poised and collected for example, someone always in control of themselves and the situation. It's why his loss of control against Tyrian rocked her so badly, because she can't imagine what caused the person she knows to do something like that.

This is part of his very nature, he is a being of masks, even right down to his body. Do you think it was random chance that he appears to be a young man only slightly older then Pyrrha? How he looks, how he acts, all if it is ultimately a play and the world is the stage. This nature of masks is also why characters like Qrow and Winter find him so unnerving. They aren't interesting enough for him to bother with any kind of mask at all so they just get an emotionless statue with little to no human tells. Uncanny valley in real life if you would.

The weirdness here comes up in that _all_ these masks are worn at once and presented to each person individually even if they are all in the same area. He is _all these facets at the same time_ because perspective is everything in this case. What he is to one person is different then what he is to another even if both are looking at and talking to him at the same time.

His views of ownership are also... kinda complex as I envisioned them. I'm not sure I've done them justice in the story honestly so I'm not surprised by criticism there. For instance he despises destiny because he see it as higher beings (the Gods) robing lesser ones of the ability of choice. It's as much stealing in his eyes as robbing someone of their money. In Pyrrha's case he sees her as the real Maiden and Cinder as a thief because ultimately Pyrrha was _chosen_ to wield that power by Ozpin, the power's original creator. She's inheritor by the choice of it's original owner in his eyes.

It's also why he's so vicious to Emerald during their little confrontation, as out of everyone there she was the most degenerate in his eyes. Cinder was interested in stealing only one thing (power), an Mercury is not really a thief at all, but poor Emerald steals everything she can. A trait that is far worse then murder in his eyes. Life if worth nothing to him, but ownership is _something meaningful_.

His disregard for life is total, at least beyond the kids and even they are more like interesting and well liked pets then friends.

For example: He didn't really care about saving the woman from the bandits, it wasn't even really the goal.

What did Pyrrha ask him to do? Fight darkness, destroy evil as Pyrrha saw it. Not protect people, not save lives. He attacked when he did because he was stopping something Pyrrha would of seen as cruel, but after that he completely disregarded that the woman was still around. He didn't care at all what happened to her in the end.

Same with the girls trying to sneak in for pics. He killed them the very second they decided to make an inconvenience of themselves, because what do you do when a fly is making itself a nuisance? You swat it. That's ultimately all people are to him, flies, and if one becomes annoying to himself or the more interesting creatures he's watching over, he'll kill it Pyrrha's wants be damned. That wasn't part of the deal, so he can and will destroy anything or anyone he views as even a minor inconvenience if he can get away with it.

He also does come off as more human then other creatures of similar nature. He's not based on monsters like Cthuhlu or Yog'sathoth or whatever other unfathomable horror you can name, his base inspiration is Nyarlathotep who is the most "human" of the Outer Gods. So much so that's he's actually pretty easy for a standard person to grasp the basics of. He even hates his job and bosses for crying out loud. How mundanely relatable is that? You could sit down with Nyralathotep and trade stories about how shit your job is and he'd totally understand that.

Instead of making him overtly "wrong" I tried to make him alien in more subdued ways, ironically like his disregard for life and twisted views of right and wrong. Maybe I missed terribly in my writing there and for that I'm sorry. I can only promise to try to do better in the future.

Phew, good lord I wrote too much there. Hope this cleared the air for you and anyone else with similar questions or at least let you see what I was trying for.


	15. Defcon One

_Not all Outsiders are beyond comprehension. Some are very "human" in their mentality. They have desires, interests, hatreds, friendships, and rivalries. Yet to such a creature we lesser beings will always be as ants. Pests. Our only hope is to go unnoticed._

 _Or be too interesting to destroy._

 _ **~The Dark Beyond, Unknown Author~**_

* * *

Raven starred coldly at the woman and two brats in front of her. They were surrounded on all sides, guns and blades of all types aimed in their direction and while the two children were doing a poor job of hiding their unease the woman leading them appeared perfectly unconcerned.

The early morning light shone down through the trees on the Branwen camp. It was, Raven decided, far too early for something as dramatic as this.

"We know she's here." The woman, Cinder Fall she'd introduced herself as, spoke confidently. "We're willing to make a deal for her help."

Now that... that was unexpected. She didn't let her surprise show though.

"You expect me to believe that Salem would let her go? Let us go? I somehow doubt that." She kept her voice flat, confidence projected through relaxed body posture. The brats became even more tense as her tribe tightened their grips on their weapons. The woman, however, still remained infuriatingly nonpulsed.

She was strong, Raven could respect that. Wouldn't change anything, but she could respect such self assurance.

"The maiden powers are useless to my Mistress." Cinder Fall waved away the doubt. "They're just keys in the end. We are interested in what the keys unlock."

She frowned. "The relics."

Cinder Fall smiled. "Indeed."

"And we should help you get into the Spring Vault... why exactly?" She let her finger brush the hilt of her sword. "What are you offering?"

"Mercy." Fall responded simply.

That got her to tense. "Mercy? Don't make me laugh. You're saying for the relic Salem would spare my tribe despite seeking the death of every living human or faunus that is not under her direct control."

"Yes, she doesn't even require anything of your people beyond the Spring Maiden opening the vault." The other woman shrugged casually. "After that you'd never see any of us again. She wouldn't stop the Grimm from targeting you of course–"

"Of course." The sarcasm got the most minute frown out of her.

"–But she wouldn't actively target you either." She gestured around the camp. "You obviously do fine for yourselves as is," She sniffed imperiously as she gazed around the tribes camp, "for a certain definition of the word. Without any direct assault I doubt you'd even be in any real danger."

That was a fair enough assessment. She didn't believe any of it for a second of course. Too clean, too easy.

"Why?"

Fall blinked, the first real reaction she'd shown. The question caught her off guard. Not badly, no, but it was a start. It also showed a certain level of arrogance. She'd never even considered that someone would question her motives. That was a weakness that could be exploited.

"Why? Because ultimately, Branwen," The smile this time was predatory, "you're simply not worth dealing with."

She gripped the hilt of her sword and slowly drew it. The smile dropped from the other woman's face and her eyes became focused.

"You should watch what you say," Raven breathed, "When you stand amongst wolves. Strong as you are you're not strong enough to win here."

"Perhaps not." Molten gold eyes flicked across the camp, taking in all the warriors that surrounded her. "Yet we both know I would cause a great deal of damage before I was taken down. I'm confident it would be enough to cripple your little tribe of bandits for decades. You wouldn't survive that long of course. My Mistress requires the Spring Maiden and what she wants she gets. The only choice you have is whether you help us willingly or whether we take her over your corpse."

Raven stared at the other woman coldly.

"Why?" Their eyes met. Silently she demanded the truth of this, the real reason. There was no purpose that she could see. Salem had them dead to rights. What reason was there for truces or mercy? "Tell me why, the truth this time, and I might consider accepting."

They stared at each other for a few more moments, then Fall sighed.

"A man named Anduriel is at Haven. Our information says he's currently injured, but even such he is the single most dangerous creature on this planet." Cinder Falls eyes took on a haunted look, a look she had seen many, many times in the eyes of broken people. She had never seen it in the gaze of someone otherwise so self-assured. "We race the clock, Branwen, because if we can't get the Relic before he awakens, then it will likely forever be beyond reach. My mistress is not willing to risk all her efforts going awry simply to destroy your petty tribe of heathens." The smile returned, but there was a strained edge to it now. "As I said: You are not worth the time."

"Anduriel?" She recognized the name.

Cinder Fall's eyes flickered with some hidden emotion. "You've met him haven't you?"

"He attacked my tribe. Killed several of my people."

The woman's head cocked to the side and her gaze swept around. "You're lucky to have escaped with this much. He must of not been very interested if he let you go so intact."

Raven felt her entire body tense and her mouth twist into a snarl. "The Grimm interrupted us before we could fight. His priorities were apparently with them."

Fall grinned sardonically. "How fortunate for you."

"You say he is at Haven?"

"Yes, recuperating from a rather serious injury. For the moment he's neutralized, we don't know how long that will last."

The way she spoke of him told her much. It was almost as if...

Ah, how amusing.

"You fear him." Raven stated simply.

She expected the woman to act indignantly, perhaps even become angry. Instead she scoffed.

"Had you fought him you would too." She spoke with such conviction that Raven paused.

That... was not at all what one would expect of someone who was otherwise seemingly so confident in her own strength.

She gave the other woman a more critical look. Shoulders loose, feet spread slightly, body relaxed. One hand on her hip, but the other was free to reach for weapons. She was utterly at ease surrounded by possible hostiles, but was still combat ready. Relaxed, but with her defenses up. Confident with an entire tribe of combatants, Raven herself, and amongst them a Maiden she couldn't hope to single out.

Yet this same woman was frightened of one man, the man she had nearly fought in some no name backwater a week ago.

"Interesting." She breathed and took a step to the side beginning to circle the other woman.

Fall cocked her head to the side slightly following Raven with her eyes, but not turning her body to keep her in sight. Another display of confidence. Raven made sure to drag the tip of her sword across the ground, the sound of the blade cutting through earth made the green haired girl go spring lock tense and the young man slide into a loose combat stance. Unlike their leader neither took their eyes off her, but she ignored them.

Pests need not be bothered with.

"What will you do about him during this little excursion if he's currently injured?"

"Capture him if possible." The answer was bland as if Fall thought that was obvious. "Kill him if it's not."

She hummed thoughtfully coming back around to her targets front. She drummed the fingers of her free hand on her hip for a moment before sheathing her sword again after a quick flourish. "I will agree to help you open the vault, but for a price."

The other woman smiled indulgently. "You're not really in any position to be making demands, but I'll hear it regardless."

Her own return smile was razor edged. "Anduriel. He owes me blood. He's mine."

Cinder Fall hesitated as if unsure she had heard the words correctly. Then slowly she nodded. "Fair enough. I can understand the desire for revenge."

Too easy.

She'd given that up far too easy for Raven's liking.

As she turned to give orders to Vernal and the rest of the tribe she pondered why she would surrender what appeared to be an objective without any fight. Only two reason presented themselves.

Either the man wasn't an objective at all and just a target of opportunity with no real value.

Or Fall didn't believe Raven could kill him.

As she stalked through the city of tents barking orders and her people fell into the familiar organized chaos of a move her hand settled once more on her sword. Her mind wandered back. Back to what had promised to be the first good fight she'd had in nearly a decade.

A man wreathed in boiling, toxic power standing upon a spire of magical ice.

An exchange of taunts, barbed words seeking to wound long before weapons reached for flesh.

A confident, bloodthirsty grin.

A thrill of exhilaration, the first time she had felt such in years.

 _Oh, with pleasure, my dear._

A shiver shot down her spine and she grinned.

To grow one most always seek adversity.

Strength must be constantly tested or it would stagnate.

She was excited to have finally found one to test herself against once more.

 _May the strongest claim the future._

* * *

He paused mid stride and pulled out his ringing scroll. Hazel stopping just a step ahead of him and Taurus turning toward him with a vicious scowl.

He sighed at the name. "Continue on without me, I'm afraid this must be answered. Hazel, I trust you can handle the negotiations?"

Normally, he would never have trusted this to anyone else, but over the years Hazel had proven himself to be extremely reliable and surprisingly cerebral associate, if somewhat naive. He could handle this until Watts got there. Perhaps he'd even close the deal before then.

"Of course." The huge man rumbled with a nod which he returned.

"Remain here, human. When you are done move only toward the throne room." Tauruas warned darkly. "If you wander the guards won't hesitate to kill you."

He waited until the young man turned away to scoff. As if riffraff such as this rabble could kill him.

One hand crossed behind his back as he brought the scroll to his ear and hit the receive caller button.

"Watts."

Even forewarned, his good mood immediately flat lined at the young woman's voice coming through the line. Well time to find out if Fall had failed yet again he supposed.

"The mission?" He asked without preamble.

"Successful, of course. With one minor complication: Branwen has insisted she come with. She wants Anduriel, I felt it prudent to agree."

He frowned. Even when she succeeds she still fails. "We are not letting a mere bandit kill our target, girl."

"Of course not." Her voice was sarcastic. "She couldn't if she wanted too, but there's no harm in letting her kill herself trying."

There it was again. That familiarity. His mustache bristled somewhat at the tone she'd taken and her confidence in a man she'd only met once. Some said fighting another person let you see them clearly, that through battle you could learn about your opponent in moments what would otherwise take years to unearth.

Nonsense of course, yet he could divine no other possible explanation for Cinder's insight.

She tried to hide it, but she often slipped and spoke of this Anduriel in a way that implied they were intimately familiar with one another. It drove Watts mad as he had not found a single line of communication or even _attempted_ communication between the two.

It could be mere delusions on Falls part, he supposed, but she otherwise appeared perfectly stable. Then again his tolerance for madness might have been poisoned by overexposure to Tyrian. Especially as of late.

"And if he's still incapacitated when we arrive?"

"Emerald will be breaking off to find him first." She explained. "If he's still unconscious she will be able to remove him easily enough and Branwen will be without a target anyways."

A decent enough plan. For once.

"Very well." He said simply after a moments thought. "Remain on standby. I shall contact you after Hazel and I convince Khan to aid us."

She didn't grace him with words, just an affirmative sounding hum before the line went dead. He clicked his own scroll off and stored it away then continued down the hall toward his original destination. The two massive doors were a dead give away.

He didn't worry about Fall going off on her own. She was well trained if nothing else. Still, he would keep an eye on her when he could in the coming battle.

As he strode up a scowling guard gently yanked one door open.

He strode through head high and full political confidence in place...

Only to stop short and stare at the scene before him.

Sienna Khan, leader of the White Fang was on the floor at the base of the steps by a shocked looking Hazel. She looked quite dead from where he stood. Adam Taurus sat on a throne atop the set of stairs Hazel was at the base of. A series of guards was just now moving back to their positions by the wall.

"I take it," He drawled sarcastically drawing all eyes to him. "Negotiations went poorly then?"

* * *

"Everything is ready, Ma'am." Watts spoke confidently through the Seer Grimm. He didn't smile, he thought himself above such displays of pride.

She did smile however, just the slightest upturn of her lips. Just enough that he could see she was pleased.

"Good. Remember, doctor, I want him alive if you can manage it. I'll leave everything in your hands."

"As you say, Ma'am, We'll begin post haste then." He bowed and the Seer cut the connection to it's fellow.

She turned away and swirled her hand to stir the wine in her glass. She watched the dark red liquid twirl in the glass contemplatively.

"Something... is wrong." Salem, the most dangerous woman one the face of Remnant whispered to herself. "Something familiar."

She frowned. "What though?"

She shook her head and looked back to the Seer. It felt her will and the orb flickered.

"Tyrian."

Her champion's face appeared immediately. "Yes, my Goddess?"

"Watts is ready. You may do as you please."

His face split into and absolutely maniac smile. "Thank you, my Goddess! I will not fail you again!"

"I know you won't, Tyrian." She cut the connection.

Everything was ready.

Soon...

Soon he would be dead.

Or he would be hers.

* * *

Pyrrha sat next to a Anduriel's bed with her eyes closed. She was trying to sense anything from him. Anything at all, but there was nothing. Not so much as a whisper. Her eyes opened with a dejected sigh and she looked down at her friend.

His face had scarred from what everyone told her was a self inflicted wound giving him a permanent menacing snarl. He'd probably not care in the least about that honestly. His arms, which had supposedly been shot full of holes in the most literal way possible, had mostly healed. They were still wrapped in gauze, but it was just a precaution. Apparently, at any rate. She just accepted what Weiss had told her was correct.

Weiss had tried explaining it to her, but she'd honestly zoned out after a few minutes. The heiress was surprisingly serious when it came to her burgeoning medical skills, but then again Weiss was serious about anything she undertook.

The door behind her opened and she snapped around. Metal clanked as several dozen objects snapped into the air and pointed toward the door.

"It's just me, Miss Nikos."

Oscar. Or Ozpin at the moment she supposed. The gold eyes gave it away. She grimaced at her overreaction and slowly lowered the various sharp implements she'd snagged with her semblance.

"'Us' might be more appropriate in your case, sir." She tried to smile, she didn't think she managed it.

The ex-headmaster chuckled. "I suppose so." He took a step forward into the room and her entire body tensed before she could stop herself. Ozpin froze with a small frown. "Ah, forgive me, Miss Nikos, may I approach? I merely wish to talk."

She forced herself to relax. She wasn't even sure why she was so tense. Ozpin was someone she should have trusted, but something in the back of her mind was warning her to be cautious.

"I-I'm sorry, sir, it's just..." She trailed off unsure what to say.

"You are worried for a friend. I understand. That we are in enemy territory and he is unable to defend himself is stressful and you are closer to him then anyone else." He deflected as he slowly began to make his way forward again. She noted he was making sure to keep his hands in the open. "It's a common enough reaction amongst hunter teams when one of their members is injured."

"Yang's close to him too." She pointed out mostly to buy herself time to calm down.

Ozpin nodded as he approached, he pointedly took the chair farthest from Anduriel and sat down. As soon as he did most of the tension left her body and she returned to her own seat though she turned it to face the headmaster and not Anduriel.

"She is indeed. Qrow is quite surprised by it, he says they didn't seem to interact much before this journey."

"He's been helping her with her sleeping problems." She explained.

Ozpin frowned in concern. "Sleeping problems?"

"Ah, umm..." She hesitated. This was Yang's secret, she only knew what was going on because of the mental link she and Anduriel shared. It didn't seem right to share it, but too late to take the words back. She could be vague, at least. "What happened in Vale... Yang's had some... problems with nightmares."

Ozpin blinked in surprise. "A god has been helping Yang with nightmares?"

"He's not a god." She snapped then started slightly at her own waspishness. "I'm sorry, sir, I-"

He held up a hand to forestall her. "Please Miss Nikos, I understand. I don't mind irritability when I'm being pushy in such a situation. All I care about is getting some answers and unfortunately you are the one best suited to give those answers."

She frowned, but she couldn't think of a reason to refuse. With a sigh she nodded. "Very well, sir, ask away."

Ozpin smiled apologetically. "Thank you, Miss Nikos. Now how much do you know about your friend?"

"Enough." She spoke tersely. At Ozpin's cocked eyebrow she grimaced. "He's a higher dimensional being that comes from a place outside reality, outside all realities according to him. He calls it the Void."

Ozpin's eyes narrowed. "He's not from another universe like ours?"

She shook her head. "No." Then her own eyes narrowed. "You sound surprised, but not about what he is. Just about where he's from."

He hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth to reply. Then he paused again as if listening to something.

She almost despaired when she actually recognized he was speaking with Oscar. What had her life become that she could tell when someone was talking to the voice in their head with just a glance?

It was his turn to sigh. "I was going to keep this a secret, but Oscar points out the time for such things is long past. As you might guess Miss Nikos, due to my nature I am very, very old. Well over one thousand at this point."

Her jaw dropped open and she made to say something, she wasn't sure what, but Ozpin powered on before she could. "You are familiar with the story of the Twin Gods?"

The seeming non-sequitur caught her off guard. "I-umm... Yes?"

"They were real, Miss Nikos. I've met both of them myself." He grimmaced. "They are gone now, a story for another time, but once they walked this world. I ask if your friend is from another universe because he shares many traits with the Twins. I had thought he might be a god from another reality."

She turned to stare down at Anduriel for a moment then shook her head. "He insists he isn't a god and he was quite clear on his origin."

Ozpin nodded, then muttered to himself. "Perhaps a being of an even higher order than the Twins then. A god of gods as it were. Undoubtedly, he refuses to be called as such due to mortal perception of such creatures."

"Sir?"

"Ah," He looked up. "What is a god to you, Miss Nikos?"

She blinked. "An all powerful being with the ability to do whatever it wants?" She ventured unsure.

Ozpin nodded. "Many would give similar answers. Omnipotent and Omniscient. The most basic features of divinity. Your friend likely knows this and refuses to be labeled as such because he isn't either. You yourself understand better then most what it's like to be placed on a pedestal that's more myth than fact."

She scowled there and nodded waiting for the next question.

"Do you know if he has any goals beyond your own?"

"To... to live I think. To exist." At the headmaster's quizzical expression she tried to elaborate. "Everything he's done is because he find places like our world interesting. He's... fascinated, I think, by how different we are. I believe he must of grown bored with whatever his own existence was like, or maybe he just ran out of new things to experience, so he came here."

"To avoid stagnation." Ozpin muttered then spoke louder. "That was the reason the Twins made our world. New experiences, new challenges. They are how all living things grow. To run out is to stagnant."

He leaned back and thought. "Do you think he's dangerous, Miss Nikos." He held up a hand to forestall the heated denial already on her lips. "Be objective, please."

She bite back the cutting remark she'd been about to say and took a breath to calm down. Objective. Fine. "Yes." She spoke simply before going on. "Yes, Anduriel is dangerous. He's faster and stronger then even an aura enhanced Hunter. His muscles and bones are dense enough to absorb impacts that can crumpled steel. His powers are completely otherworldly and as far as I know can't be countered by anything." She turned a scathing glare on the boy across from her. "But he's my friend. I trust him with my life."

"And," Ozpin began slowly, "Do you trust him with the lives of strangers? With people not part of your circle of friends?"

She opened her mouth to snap an affirmative, then stopped. With a grimace she shook her head. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because they're ultimately nothing to him. Random people are just... background noise at best as far as he's concerned. Like part of the scenery in a play. We're the 'main actors,' so he finds us interesting and compelling, but normal people? Normal people are meaningless things to him in the end."

"So you admit he's dangerous to others then?"

She cringed. "Yes." Then her glare returned ten fold. "I don't care, he saved me. He's my _friend_. I'll protect him from you if I have to." Metal rattled along the walls and shelves. The floor and ceiling, reinforced with steel beneath the wood, groaned.

"That will not be necessary, Miss Nikos." He stood slowly and moved toward the door. "The Twins both lived far from people, they didn't mind humans coming to visit them, but they didn't live amongst us either. For many years I wondered why, but I believe I know that answer now." He turned to look back at her, his golden eyes piercing. "It's because they knew they saw the world differently. That they were, merely because of their different perception of life, a threat to normal people."

He shook his head and looked forward again.

"The Twin Gods had no mortals that they would heed, no one to guide them through interaction with their own creations. So they sequestered themselves away to minimized the odds of catastrophe. Anduriel, a being possibly even greater and more alien then the Twins, instead, chooses to walk amongst us directly." He sighed and looked down at his cane rotating the weapon in his hand. "And so the threat of his presence weighs over every person around him. A ax poised over the head of every man, woman, and child he encounters that they will never even be aware of until it is far too late."

Those golden eyes turned back to her once more. "Yet he will heed you and the others, Miss Nikos. I ask that you guide him, that you protect your fellow mortals from his disregard, for such could prove lethal to them."

"I will." She nodded firmly. "I promise."

He smiled slightly. It was strained, but there was acceptance in it. "That is all I can ask."

With that he walked out the door. Pyrrha sat in silence for a moment before turning back to her friends sick bed.

"Wake up." She whispered.

When no answer came she closed her eyes.

 _Please_.

 _ **Pyrrha...**_

Her eyes snapped open and she jumped to her feet.

Of course, that was the exact moment the entire building was rocked with a massive explosion.

* * *

A/N

Well, no double chapter this month, I just couldn't get the time to do that. Still, hope you enjoyed. Until next time kids, read and review yadda yadda.

To CosmereLover sadly it is on word, but I thank you for the offer.

Also some of the grammar issues are on purpose. This story is written more as strings of inner thought and dialog then what you'd see as traditional writing. Most of what you read is what the viewpoint character is thinking or taking note of. So to make it seem like that's what it is I write in a style called "organic" rather then grammatically correct. Simply put, people do not speak or think grammatically correct most of the time. Some characters would of course; someone like Weiss or Winter would speak and likely even think with, if not perfectly correct grammar, at least closer to it then say someone like Yang or Jaune. The style is suppose to give a bit more flair to dialog/thoughts and let it reflect a characters personality a little better. I don't always pull it off well of course and obviously there are just glaring mistakes in there. The end intention is that you should be able to spot a view point changed based entirely off of how the writing shifts with different characters language use. Don't think I'm quite to that level yet though.

Be thankful I ain't in this story cuz my own organic dialog would look somethin' like this. Jus' how I speak see. Ain't got time for proper verbiage. More important stuff ta worry 'bout. Ya get me? No one in the story yet is near this big a slob when it comes ta their words.

I understand it does have a bad side effect of driving English or writing majors absolutely insane though. I'm sorry for that. Kinda. Language is ultimately a tool and all tools can be used outside the box.

I would also apologize for the swearing, but I honestly feel that characters like Qrow or Vernal got their dialog hamstrung because Monty didn't want anyone swearing period in the show. I really just can't see someone like Qrow, a bitter, cynical, functional alcoholic, or Vernal, a young, vicious, remorseless bandit, not using swear words. It's more jarring to me that they don't in the show, Vernal in particular. I only use them with characters I honestly feel _would_ use them. Qrow uses them mostly in his head (side effect of having been around kids so much) and Vernal just throws them out for two examples, but someone like Ruby or Weiss would probably never use one at all even under extreme pressure.

Also Oscar dies next chapter. Enjoy.


	16. Break Down

_The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown._

 _ **~H. P. Lovecraft~**_

* * *

Oscar glared at the group of people across from him.

 _Easy, do nothing rash_. Ozpin whispered in his mind. _Let Qrow lead. Try to avoid Raven and Cinder Fall if you can. We're not ready to face a maiden of any caliber yet, but if we can catch them unawares we might be able to disable them if nothing else._

"Right." He whispered quietly. Then paused. "Which one's Raven?"

 _Long black hair and red armor, center-left. At least the students learned of her power before hand. Her unexpectedly throwing magic about could have been instantly lethal. An ambush via magic is vastly more dangerous then you can imagine._

He wasn't sure about that, he had a pretty dang good imagination and right now he was imagining several kinds of very unpleasant deaths. Most of them involved fire.

His eyes trailed over the five people across from him. He recognized some of them from various descriptions.

Tyrian, who was apparently a complete nut job, had been the first to walk in through the massive explosion that had blown the doors off. The others had been able to describe him almost perfectly, hard to forget someone that almost killed your friend he supposed.

Behind him had come two men he didn't recognize at all, but he assumed they were more of Salem's people. The one on the left was massive, the biggest person he had ever seen. The other was a lean man with a mustache, very classy. Also an obvious snob.

Cinder Fall, clad in a classy red dress, and the Raven woman had both strode in not a moment later like they owned the place and everyone in it.

At first he had been utterly terrified. He and Ren had reached the main hall first, just as Tyrian was walking through the debris cloud and he'd been deathly afraid the crazy faunus would just charge them right away. From what he'd been told that wasn't a fight he could survive. He wasn't sure he could survive any of them in fact.

He had been extremely thankful when Blake and Weiss had appeared from another direction, that seemed to stall any battle breaking out. The two sides pausing to size each other up. Qrow popped in through a door a few moments later.

Pyrrha was the only one still not here and if she followed the plan she wouldn't be. Unless they called for her, she'd stay and guard Anduriel. Their enemies seemed completely at ease. Oscar had to admit they probably didn't strike a very intimidating group. Several teenagers and one veteran fighter. Big threat to a bunch of hardened killers.

Tyrian had actually hopped up and a railing and fallen into a bizarre crouch with a demented little giggle that gave Oscar all kinds of chills. He looked like a weird gargoyle... wait a minute.

"I thought he lost an arm." He whispered.

The looming faunus had his arms draped across his knees. Both of them.

Qrow's focus snapped to the faunus. "He did." His next words were loud enough to carry to the rest of the group. "Keep an eye on Tyrian, if that's a cybernetic like Yang's he'll be a lot stronger on that arm."

"What else could it be?" Blake muttered back.

"Something worse." Qrow answered quietly before taking a step forward and speaking louder. "This is a little bold for your little shadow games, isn't it?"

Right, he was distracting them.

"Plans." Oscar spoke. "Quick."

Blake hesitated for moment. "I'll go for the big guy. Hopefully-"

 _Give me control._ He complied without any real resistance. "I believe Oscar and I shall deal with Hazel Miss Belladonna ." Ozpin spoke calmly. "He's much more dangerous then he appears, but we have personal history. Hopefully we can exploit it."

Weiss blinked. "But won't he think you're dead?"

"No." Ozpin said grimly. "Hazel is aware of what I am. Leave Raven to Qrow, none of us will be able to face her alone."

"Okay sooooo... Tyrian then." She whispered, her voice taking on a slightly strained edge. "I'll try to keep him busy. At least I can avoid him with my clones for a while."

"As our only dust specialist, I suppose I'll be dealing with Fall." Weiss flipped her hair as she drew Myrtenaster. "It's only fitting."

"That leaves the one in the suit. He looks the squishiest." Ren whispered. "I shall attempt to deal with him." There was a slight pause and he sighed. "Nora has finally infected my vocabulary I see."

It wasn't a great plan. This was not the kind of battle they wanted to fight one on one, but they really didn't have much of a choice. They'd just have to hope they could hold out until either the local authorities or the rest of the team showed up. If neither happened... well, it had been a nice life.

Ozpin had one last piece of advice before fading back into their shared mind. "If any of them attempt to break off, let them. If we defeat their forces here we can follow any that attempt to reach the vault later."

"Right." Came the response. With that Oscar focused back on the conversation still going on. Heh, villainous monologuist was working out in their favor.

Qrow was growling at his sister."What are you doing here Raven?"

"I was made an offer." The black haired woman shrugged carelessly. "I accepted." She took a few steps forward past her allies who watched her with no small amount of distrust. At least this little alliance wasn't comfortable with each other. "Now it's my turn to make one; Brother, come with me back to the tribe. Don't you see? It's over, Qrow. Don't throw your life away for Ozpin's useless schemes."

"Fuck the tribe." Qrow snapped.

She looked own and sighed dramatically. "Everyone gets one, dear brother." She gave a bloodthirsty smile and her eyes snapped open. "That was yours."

This... this was not going to be good was it?

 _No. No it is not._

"Now, now." The mustached man spoke, his voice the very definition of refined arrogance, as he too strode a few steps forward. "We have no need to actually fight. Merely give us what we've come for and we shall be on our way." He waved a dismissive hand before returning it behind his back. "Or just stand aside. Either will do really."

"How about no?" Qrow barked.

He shrugged. "Oh well, we tried." He reached into a pocket and pulled out a scroll. "Negotiations have failed, you may reveal yourselves now."

"Looking for Leo?" Qrow smirked. "He's not coming. Little tied up at the moment."

Well, that explained what had taken Qrow so long.

The other man did frown slightly at that, but ultimately shrugged. "Well that is somewhat unfortunate, but no, I was not calling the headmaster."

A moment later another figure stepped through the shattered doorway into the entrance hall.

"Adam..." Oscar's eyes snapped to Blake only to see her staring slack jawed with her ears pressed down on top of her head. He turned back in time to see at least another _three dozen_ men and women in masks stride in after him all armed with various weapons.

"White Fang." Weiss growled. "What are they doing here?"

"I... I don't know..."

 _Just once I would like something to go as planned. Is that too much to ask?_

Adam Taurus glared at them for a moment before turning his attention on Blake. The girl flinched back as if he'd physically struck her. "Hello, Blake. I'll give you this one last chance to come back to me."

"How can you do this?!" She hissed taking a step forward. She pointed accusingly at Salem's group. "Adam, they're monsters! They won't help us, they want everyone dead! Humans and faunus alike!"

Adam snarled and made to stride toward them, but was interrupted by Tyrian jumping down from his perch a frown marring his features.

"I grow so tired of all this nonsensical prattling. Where is Anduriel?" Tyrian grinned and deployed his wrist blades with a snicker. "If you tell me I'll only cut you a little!"

"Would you believe me if I said back in Vale?" Qrow asked sarcastically.

"Not particularly, no."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself."

There was a pause as the man waited for further explanation. His grinned turned into a frown and he shook his head. "No? Nothing?" He asked sadly, then is face split in the most psychotic expression Oscar had ever seen on a person. He took and involuntary step back, he wasn't the only one. "I'll just have to ask you all later. Maybe while I'm peeling the flesh from your bones!"

The faunus launched forward and time seemed to slow. Adrenaline hit his system like a sludge hammer and his fear vanished. There was no time to be afraid. Not when his friends were counting on him.

 _Raven and Cinder are breaking off._ Ozpin noted with a hint of relief.

He didn't have time to do more then acknowledge that before Blake had darted forward. Her sword smashing into Tyrian's bracers on a shower of sparks. The mad man leapt backwards with a cackle and darted back into to engage the girl eagerly. Oscar saw a clone flash out of existence before the two leapt to a higher level taking the fight vertical with sheer agility.

Qrow blurred into action right behind her only to be intercepted by the combined force of Hazel and Mustache Man.

Oscar moved to charge in and assist there. He registered Weiss send a blast of fire directly into the midst of the White Fang scattering a large portion of the grunts and disorganizing them. He had no idea what Ren was doing, he was behind him some place, but judging by the gun fire he was taking shots at something.

Qrow was being driven back, but his two opponents were completely focused on him. Apparently they were counting on the Fang to keep everyone else occupied.

Tough break for them.

 _Go for the knees._

He went in low, smashing the cane into the back of the bigger man's knees. Hazel gave a surprised bark as he went down more shocked then in pain. Before he even hit the ground Oscar slide around in front of him and swung his weapon in a two handed arc aimed right at his face. The resounding crack was highly satisfying as was the fact the big guy was thrown a few feet backwards and landed sprawled on his back.

 _Excellent hit._

"Thanks."

"Thanks, Oz." Qrow grunted as he stepped in formation with him

He barely even registered the wrong name. They pretty much were one person at this point anyways. "Don't mention it."

The other man had jumped back with a frown. His weapon was some kind of mace, arcs of electricity shot around the small spikes that decorated the top. That was a rather blunt instrument for someone so fancy.

 _Watts. He's a doctor first and foremost, but he's still a highly skilled fighter. Nothing to the likes of Tyrian or Raven, but-_

"Ozpin?!"

 _Ah... that is most unfortunate timing._

"What-?"

"It is you isn't it?" The big man snarled as he stood up. Sadly it looked like his attack had done literally nothing. "You think you can hide behind the face of a child, monster?"

Watts had shifted to the side letting his ally take the lead. Even he seemed caught off guard at his partner's raw fury. "I'll kill you here Ozpin! Then I'll hunt you down over and over again until you finally learn how to stay dead!"

The big man pulled a pair of dust crystals out of his pocket and held them aloft. Then with a snarl he drove them into his own arms.

"What the-?!"

And then he roared. There was no other word for the blast of sound the man unleashed. For a second most of the battle stalled as heads swiveled in their direction. More then one person shied away.

 _Perhaps I should take control?_

"I can take him."

 _Are you sure-_

" **OOOOOZZZZZPPPPPPPPIIIINNNNNNN!"**

The next instant he was forced to jump back as a massive lightning charged fist smashed into the ground where he had been standing. The entire area blew up as if a grenade had gone off at the point of impact. Before his feet could even touch the ground to recover the other fist smashed right into his blocking cane and sent him flying.

As he rolled to a stop against a wall he muttered. "On second thought, take the wheel. This is out of my league, I think."

 _Gladly._

His eyes flickered to gold just in time to register Hazel's form looming over them.

The next instant Ozpin _moved_ , darting slightly to the side, just enough to avoid the fist that smashed into the wall. He spun, sweeping low beneath the next swing and came up inside Hazel's guard. The tip of the cane cracked into the bigger man's chin knocking him backward a few steps and allowing the ex-headmaster to land a unbelievably fast serious of strikes all along his body, the last of which sent his enemy flying.

"This isn't how it has to be, Hazel."

"Shut up, Ozpin." He growled as he stood once more, seemingly completely unaffected. "The world will be a better place once you die for good."

"You are correct, it will be." Ozpin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them his gaze had turned to steel, all trace of doubt or hesitation had vanished. "But only because I will not rest until my mistakes are corrected and the world made safe once more."

The two lunged at the same time.

* * *

As the battle behind them erupted Cinder followed the bandit queen to a large fancy stair case leading deeper into the school.

"You seem confident it's this way." She cocked an eyebrow at the other woman. They'd been counting on Leonardo to lead them to the vault, or at least point them in the right direction. "Any particular reason?"

As they both passed through one of the doors at the top the other woman shrugged. "I'm not, but do you have a better idea? Best case we find the vault, worse case we find your mole and he points us there."

She hummed thoughtfully as they strode down the hall occasionally glancing inside nearby rooms. "Your brother did come from up here."

Raven nodded. "He was probably with the fool when the attack started. That likely means Leonardo's office and up seems the best direction to find it."

"Ah, if that's the case I can lead us right there." She picked up the pace and took the lead.

"Oh?"

"I worked here as part of my cover." She shrugged and waved a dismissive hand. "Needless to say I had to remind Leonardo who was in charge more then once and doing so in public wouldn't have been wise."

The woman behind her scoffed. "He did seem the type to never learn his place."

"I believe it was my age. I was only sixteen when I started working here. He didn't like taking orders from a 'child' I suppose."

"Humiliating." She could hear the other woman's smirk.

"Quite." As she spoke she pulled out her scroll and glanced it over with a thoughtful hum. Watts had linked their scrolls together for this battle. Both for tracking purposes and so they could keep track of everyone's combat status. Raven and the Fang weren't included obviously.

"Problem?"

She shook her head. "Hazel's just taken more damage then I expected. I suppose it was inevitable the children improved. Here we are."

As she pointed to s set of double doors Raven moved to pass her by one hand drifting to her sword cautiously. With the woman's attention firmly not on her for a precious few moments she hit a single button on her scroll and sent a single text to Mercury.

With that done she could focus on her part in this whole-

 **You send them to their deaths...**

Her heart turned to solid ice, the blood in her veins froze. It had been the barest whisper, a breath at the very edges of her mind. She stood still and focused, straining to feel anything else within the confines of her thoughts.

Nothing.

Maybe...

Maybe she had just imagined it?

Yes, that had to be it.

"I've found your mole." Raven Branwen spoke with the most unimpressed tone of voice Cinder had ever heard as she walked back out the doors dragging an unconscious, hogtied headmaster behind her with one hand.

"Of course." She couldn't stop the exasperated sigh that escape her. "You wouldn't happen to have smelling salts would you?"

* * *

Mercury glanced down at his pocket when it beeped and Emerald straightened from her bored slouch next to him. When he pulled his scroll out he saw only a single dot sent as a text from Cinder.

He turned to his partner with a smirk. "Show time, Em."

For once she didn't snap back at him just grinned. Without responding or waiting for him she began climbing up the wall of the school for the roof. Her weapons allowing her to damn near run up the thing.

He started up after her. He momentarily debated commenting on the fact that from down here he was going to be staring at her ass the entire way up.

Nah, better to just enjoy the view.

* * *

Pyrrha shifted from foot to foot anxiously. She glanced back at Anduriel's still form then down at her scroll. It still just the one text from Qrow.

 _Stay._

She didn't like this. Not at all. There was a fight going on and she was one of their biggest hitters, but she couldn't help. At this point Anduriel was almost certainly the biggest target here besides the relic. They'd be trying to kill him for certain.

Maybe if I...

She glanced back at her friends comatose form and shook her head. She had to stay here it was the only-

The door opened and her eyes snapped back to it.

Emerald Sustrai stood half leaning in the room and frozen in surprise. For a moment the two of them sat there staring at each other. Then the other girls eyes widened and she back peddled.

"Mercury!"

Pyrrha charged after her sending a wave of lethal steel spinning through the air in front to ensure she hadn't already been trapped in some hallucination. There were no allies in front of her or in the area at all, she'd have been informed, so she just lashed out at the entire space with various bladed instruments effectively shredding the entire far side of the room as she blitzed after the other woman. Even with aura so many tiny lethal pieces of metal would of dealt grievous injuries and broken any concentration needed to use a semblance. As she passed through the door she buckled the ceiling and floor into a metal barricade behind her closing the room off completely.

"Mercury, get over here right- Shit!" The green haired girl ducked as Pyrrha sent Akoúo̱ spinning down the hallway at her.

Pounding foot steps behind her alerted her to another enemy coming from behind. Rather then turn to face him, it had to be the woman's partner from the Vital Festival, she charged forward. Akoúo̱, under the control of her semblance, was already coming back at a lower trajectory. Sustrai back peddled as she drew her weapons not expecting the attack coming from behind her. Akoúo̱ caught her in the back of her left leg sweeping her footing completely. The tell tale click of a fire arm sounded behind her and Pyrrha flipped into the air. Milo shifted into rifle form as she flew over Emerald's still falling form, the girls eyes widened and she raise her arms to block, even as Pyrrha brought her aim on perfect target and emptied five rounds into her torso. Her aura held, but her pained gasp was telling. Two glowing lights, some kind of dust round, blurred past between them.

She landed on Emerald's far side and brought her sights up on Mercury. The silver haired boy threw himself to the side, dodging the first bullet but a quick correction put two more on target, one in the shoulder and another directly in the throat that knocked him over, before the green haired girl pounced at her and forced her back into blade form.

Sustrai was fast, very fast in fact, but compared to Ruby she was a snail and she lacked Blake's sheer agility or Anduriel's field mobility.

Pyrrha fell back for all of three steps before stepping back in and batting her foes now overextending strike to the side. Rather then try for a hit from Milo she took a page from Yang's play book and simply lowered her shoulder before kicking off with her back foot as hard as she could. Her bare shoulder smashed into Emerald's jaw snapping her head back and stunning her. The blow sent her staggering back a step and forced her into a sluggish high guard.

Pyrrha lashed out with a low spinning leg sweep, sending her target tumbling to the ground again and simultaneously dodging a high kick from her silver haired opponent.

She used her semblance to force his momentum beyond what it should have been and effectively punch his foot into the wall. He didn't get stuck sadly, but the momentary delay was enough for her to land a grazing strike with Milo forcing the boy to hop back, ripping his foot free while he was at it, and forcing him on the defensive. She tore a chunk of the ceiling down behind him, using the threat of a collpasing roof to trap him as she spun past a desperate defensive kick. She ignore the over extended limb, remembering it was an augment, and instead pirouetted past him completely allowing her elbow to bash into back of his head and then kicking him into Emerald just as she began to rise.

She skipped backward, Milo once again shifting into rifle form. She fired off a trio of shots, all of which hit Mercury's back, before she realized her mistake.

She'd given Emerald room and time to focus.

The girl's red eyes locked on her and suddenly the entire hallway was inverted. It was the most disorienting thing she'd ever had happen to her and she staggered, firing a few desperate shots hoping to break the her focus. Judging by the black and silver smudge of color sprinting toward her it hadn't worked.

She staggered backwards, fighting vertigo and trying to focus past the hallucination. She managed to block Mercury's first kick, but the second that she hadn't even seen coming caught her in the ribs of her left side. A third kick deflected partly off her shield and clipped her stomach. She parried the fourth and managed to connect a sloppy shield bash that drove him back. To her surprise he spun to the side and sent a pair of explosive shots at...

At the door she had sealed shut at the start of the fight!

The bullets impact into the flimsy steel plating and blasted the weak barrier apart.

"Em, go!"

Terror gripped her even as the illusion dropped and the hallway returned to normal. She spotted Emerald running toward the now open doorway and she reached out with her semblance in pure desperation. She'd bring the entire hallway down if she had too! Steel reinforcement plates tore free of the floor and ceiling spinning through the air in patterns all of them made into lethal projectiles by their sheer velocity. Somehow the other girl managed to bob and weave throw the mass of deadly metal and threw herself threw past doorway.

"No!"

"Sorry, Nikos." Mercury's augmented leg slashed out in her peripheral vision and she parried it on instinct. He interposed himself between her and the door. "Got orders. You understand."

She didn't answer just pressing forward aggressively to try to push him back. His eyes widened as her semblance took hold of his legs, his aura was the only thing stopping her from tearing them off completely in her desperate rage, but it flickered dangerously as it tried to keep her power from literally ripping his limbs off.

"Shit!" He backpedaled awkwardly, his legs not functioning properly under the sheer strain.

"Get out of my way!" She snarled. "Anduriel!"

* * *

Emerald rolled to a stop in the room and took a moment to spin back towards the door with her guns drawn. When no ridiculously lethal red head followed her in she sighed in relief and turned back to her target.

TKOed still, thank the broken moon for small mercies.

She frowned as she walked up to the bed. With Nikos here there was no way they could get him out. Hopefully killing him would be good enough. With a scowl she raised her sickle.

"This is for the scars, you piece of shit."

* * *

Beyond the world it waited, but time was running out.

It felt Pyrrha Nikos' desperation. Her fear. Something had gone terribly wrong.

She was calling for them. The name they had given her.

 _ANDURIEL!_

Her mind cried out in terror. Not for herself, but for them.

It tried to reach out to the broken form of its vessel. Nothing. It still could not connect.

Why? **Why?** It did not understand.

Ten trillion thoughts sought a solution. Any solution. It could find none. Why could the lesser being manifest powers they could not. What were they missing.

 **Perspective.**

The toxic stars frozen as one aspect of themselves seemed to find an answer. One timeless moment that all their being held perfectly still and focused on the single line of thought.

Perspective? They were limited. What perspective could they have it did not?

Of self. Of one, not of many. Of form. Of transience.

 **Perspective.** The aspect repeated. **Is the key.**

Of the soul. The stars realized at once. One soul. One body. One mind.

The lights began to collapse in on themselves.

 **We understand.**

 **For it is in enlightenment that we find strength.**

* * *

Blake was being driven back, they all were. Tyrian was just too good and it turned out his new arm wasn't a cybernetic it was a Grimm's arm. It seemed to have the same properties as the Nucklevee they had fought not long ago. The thing stretched and regenerated at alarming rate. She'd actually cut the hand off once, but it had grown back a few minutes later.

She came to the terrifying realization this wasn't a fight she could win.

She jumped from the banister she was crouched on leaving a clone behind to take the blow Tyrian had meant for her and leapt onto a rafter over head. The other faunus was right on her tail. A few bullets pinged off the woodwork around her as some of the White Fang below took pot shots, but Tyrian's proximity discouraged concentrated fire.

The entry hall bloomed with light as Weiss threw another fireball at the grunts. She risked a glance down in time to see Ren get sent flying by Adam only for a wave of ice to force him back. He snarled and looked up at her. For a moment their eyes met.

There were so many things she wanted to say, there were so many things she wanted him to say, but right now all of it was meaningless.

A demented cackle drew her attention back to her own foe and she jumped for another rafter just as the maniac split the one she was standing on in two. The pieces of timber fell to the floor with a crash forcing the Fang members below to scatter or be crushed.

She only had time to focus on her own fight after that.

* * *

For the first time in their existence the stars became one. A single titanic orb of seething energy. All their will focused on one task, one goal.

 **Through knowledge we gain the influence to shape existence to our desires.**

* * *

Qrow was trying his damnedest to kill the arrogant bastard fighting him. If he could gut Watts then he might be able to turn the entire tide of the fight around. The kids were doing shockingly well given the caliber of their enemies and the sheer number of Fang grunts Taurus had brought with him. There were more of the bastards outside too. Whenever the Princesses blasted a group of them more just surged in through the door to reinforce the fighters in here.

They were winning through sheer attrition.

He ducked a bolt of lightning that Watts' weapon spat at him and rushed to close the distance.

He had to focus. No time for stray thoughts.

* * *

A tendril of pure power, more energy then all the stars in any physical universe, reached out. With infinite precision and care the tendril connected to Remnant's reality and reached for a vessel.

No, not a vessel.

For itself. It was a soul reaching for its flesh, for the form it knew to be its own.

 **Infinite in potential and unbound by falsehoods.**

* * *

Cinder dove past the raging melee, Leonardo and Raven close behind her. The traitorous headmaster open the statue that led down to the hidden basement levels and nodded.

"It will take you to the vault, good luck." He turned toward the melee. As the platform descended Cinder was sure she saw him turn away.

He had no intention of fighting at all she realized with a scowl.

Not her concern she supposed, though she would be telling her mistress about his cowardice after this was over.

"Call in the Maiden, we should be safe enough here."

Branwen shrugged and cut open a portal in the air. A moment later a young woman with short brown hair stepped out.

"Aw, did I miss the fight?" The girl chuckled.

"No," Raven growled back causing the girl to stiffen defensively, "They're proving to be stronger then we had been led to beleive. I'm half tempted to switch sides."

She forced herself not to react to the threat. One hand on her cocked hip, the other lazily left at her side. She didn't even bother looking up at the other woman for a moment before finally turning to stare at her coldly.

"You know that would be foolish." Cinder spoke flatly. "Even if you'd win this battle what of it? You'd lose eventually. It's inevitable."

They stared at each other tensely for for few moments before the bandit queen looked away with a grimace. "True enough."

"So are we just opening the vault and leaving then?" The apparent Spring Maiden asked. "We don't get to fight at all?"

"You're more then welcome to join the battle." She offered with a somewhat sadistic smirk. "I'm sure another skilled warrior would speed things along nicely."

"No." Raven growled. "We open the vault and leave. Nothing else."

The girl just nodded in disappointment.

"You don't intend on collecting your 'reward' then?" She needled the other woman.

"No. Kill him yourself." Branwen glared daggers at her. "Just keep to the deal."

She shrugged indifferently. Not like they had ever intended to let her collect that particular reward.

The doors opened and they strode into the vault of knowledge.

"Pretty." The girl muttered looking around.

"Wasteful more like." Raven counter as she strode directly toward the doors at the far end of the causeway barely paying attention to the decor.

Cinder agreed with both actually. It was quite beautiful. It was also an utter waste. She kept that too herself though, instead eying the younger maiden contemplatively. Once she opened the doors she was no longer needed, but Branwen was an unknown and with the battle above she wasn't sure she had the time to subdue both of them.

Oh, well at least she had a target now. She could go collect at any time. Possibly after taking the other mantles first.

Business before pleasure anyways.

"Shall we?"

* * *

The light reached through the barrier of the world, through space, time and all things that made a universe "real."

And then it felt once more.

It felt Emerald Sustrai above it poised to kill.

It felt Pyrrha Nikos, her desperation and fear as she attempted to come to its defense.

It felt its companions, facing a horde of foes and losing by inches.

 **He** felt the bed beneath **his** form and the flimsy metal on **his** wrist.

 **He** felt the air in **his** lung and the blood in **his** veins.

 **He** felt the world and knew the answer **he** had sought.

Perspective of self, for flesh and soul must be one. That was the key.

 **I, Anduriel, unshackle this soul and by my will unleash thee.**

* * *

Emerald swung and her sickle blurred down. Just before it struck a dome of nealry opaqu green light surrounded the unmoving body of her target. Her weapon smashed into it and the sphere pulsed the energy hurling her backwards through the wall and out into the hallway. She groaned and struggled to push herself up, registering that whatever that had been it had Faded her in a single hit.

She grunted and forced her head up enough to look back into the medical room.

Her heart stopped beating in her chest.

She was peering into two infinite pits of green energy.

Anduriel stared at her, his eyes blazing with noxious light.

A moment later his face contorted into an enraged snarl and Emerald did the only thing she could think of.

She turned and ran.

* * *

It took him a moment to register that Emerald wasn't just repositioning or doing some weird flanking trick with her semblance. Nope, she was just running the hell away.

What. The. Fuck?!

"Em! What the hell get back-!"

The wall exploded in a blast of virulent incandescence. Pure power pulsed from the hole, gleaming rents forming in the air as the world twisted and wreathed wildly. A hand gripped the ragged edge of the wall and pulled the rest of itself out of the destroyed room.

Anduriel turned in his direction, his face a mask of pure, primal rage.

He vaguely registered Nikos collapsing to her knees with a relieved sob.

"Ah..." Emerald had the right idea. Screw this, he was done.

Mercury Black spun around and fled as fast as his cybernetics could carry him.

* * *

A/N

Commence rip and tear.

This isn't quite an instant game over though. Magic has shown itself to be a viable counter to Anduriel's more lethal powers and Cinder and Raven are still on site along with whatever magical gifts Salem might of given her people. Also no sign of any Grimm yet. Probably something to be concerned with. Still, tide turner.

Send the reinforcements Salem, you're going to need more bodies.

Adam and the Fang better start running though.

So big ass battles like this are extremely hard to write, especially with so many moving groups all doing things at once. I tried to keep it interesting.

Fair warning though I had the flu all week while writing this so I'm not sure how coherent it is. My beta followed it easy enough, but she's some kind of freak that understands how my mind works (I think that makes her legally insane) so that doesn't count. You should of seen all my spelling errors! It looked like I was writing in Greek at some points.

The conclusion will be next month. I am a cliff master, master of all cliffs.

Also for those wondering yes, that is an aura unlocking ritual. Why can he do it to himself? Outer God. More seriously it's because until that moment "The Stars" and Anduriel kind of were two separate beings, merely sharing a soul and mind. A more advanced version of Ozpin and Oscar in a way. So the Stars unlocked Anduriel's soul and at the same moment became his soul. Confusing I know, but again: Outer God.

The full thing for easy reference is: **For it is in enlightenment that we find strength.** **Through knowledge we gain the influence to shape existence to our desires.** **Infinite in potential and unbound by falsehoods.** **I, Anduriel, unshackle this soul and by my will unleash thee.**

I follow the belief that every person's little poem would be different and intrinsically tied to their views/character. Pyrrha's was all about self sacrifice and becoming a legend. Anduriel's is more about knowledge and self discovery.

Hhhmmmm... I feel like I forgot something.

Oh, I forgot to kill off Oscar! Not to worry, I'll have Hazel sit on him or something next chapter! Squish...

Read and review and all the fun stuff.


	17. Diabolus ex Machina

**I've learned a lot in the last year. I've learned I should be dead. I've learned that fate is cruel and unfair. I've learned that gods and demons are real. I've learned to fight them.**

 **The most important thing I've learned though? I've learned that sometimes the world doesn't need another hero. Anyone can be a hero. The right time, the right place, the right luck. That's all it takes to make a hero.**

 **No, sometimes what the world needs most is a monster so terrible it even frightens other monsters.**

* * *

"Anduriel!" She tried to stand. She really, really did. She should be moving either chasing down one of her attackers or moving to help the others, but her eyes were blurry and her limbs had gone numb with relief.

Her friend, awake and moving, knelt in front of her. She dragged him into a hug, just to make sure it was real and not some cruel trick of Sustria's. He was still in the stupid hospital gown he'd been put in while recovering. He looked completely ridiculous, but he was alive and real. He didn't try to pull away and she gave a watery sounding giggle when he awkwardly patted her back.

 _ **I am well, Pyrrha.**_

"What happened? Why did it take you so long to wake up?" She was far too upset to speak in her mind, her thoughts were a chaotic jumble of fear, relief, and angry worry. She drew back with a scowl so she could glare into his glowing green eyes. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?!"

 _ **Forgive me. I did not understand what was wrong until the very last moment. It took a great deal of contemplation to fix what was wrong with my vessel.**_

She translate that to "I was thinking and couldn't be bothered waking up."

"Idiot!" She'd never been so angry or so happy at the same time before. She smacked his shoulder in pure frustration at the conflicting emotions and jumped as green light flickered upon impact. Her eyes widened. "Aura... You have Aura?!"

 _ **I do now. My state of being was the problem. My natural existence as a decentralized entity prevented me from utilizing my true capabilities while within this body. While I was fragmented I could not awaken.**_

She shuffled the information away. It didn't matter right now. She pushed herself up and locked her emotions away for the time being. She could sort them out later.

"Salem's people are here. In force by the sounds of it." She informed him clinically wiping her eyes as she stood. "I was told to guard you unless called."

 _ **A wise decision it would seem.**_

As the words whispered in her mind Anduriel also rose and turned to gaze in the direction Emerald had fled.

"Don't bother." His eyes turned back to her. _If she ran, she's long gone, if she didn't she'll head for the main battle._

He nodded as he turned his full attention to her.

 _We need to find you something to wear._

 _ **No need.**_

Green energy flared around his body. The hospital gown burnt off instantly and Pyrrha quickly looked toward the ceiling in embarrassment before she could see anything. Once the light faded she glanced back down and was surprised by his change in wardrobe.

Before he'd worn blues, blacks and silver. Colors that were disarming, unassuming or heroic, meant to put people at ease around him. He had apparently decided the time for subtlety was past.

Now his long coat, styled the same as it had been, instead displayed prominent reds and golds. The colors matched his eyes well rather then clashing as his previous style had. His boots had shifted from simple black leather boots with silver filigree to armored bronze colored greaves with emerald inlays near the knees and ankles. Black slacks tucked into the greaves held with a matching belt that had a bronze buckle. Bracers in matching style to the greaves clamped over his arms, capped by simple fingerless black combat gloves.

He flexed his hands and shifted his body for a moment letting cloth and metal settled on his form before looking up at her with a familiar confident smirk.

She glanced down at her own outfit and noted the similarity.

"Still modeling yourself on me I see." The taunt was friendly, relieved even. It felt _good_ to be able to banter with him again. "You don't have the right hair color to match the reds."

He shrugged carelessly and spoke aloud sensing how much she wanted to hear his voice at the moment. It was a welcome relief and reaffirmed he was fine. "It brings out my eyes." A black sword flickered into existence in his right hand even as pulses of power ripped tiny cracks into the air around them. "I cannot maintain this state for long without causing prominent damage to this reality." The glittering gaps healed quickly, but it was obvious his power fully unleashed like this was not good even without his words of warning. "I suggest we take advantage of the time we have."

She laugh and without further comment turned to sprint down the corridor. The battle was in the main entry hall. She wondered how much of it would be left standing when they got done with it.

She heard and _felt_ Anduriel fall into step behind her. Confidence surged through her entire being. She felt at that moment even if the enemy had brought a literal army to face them they would rend it apart in short order.

No more waiting.

It was time to help their friends.

It was time finish this.

* * *

Ozpin watched with some satisfaction as Hazel pulled himself up much slower. He was winning. The big man might not be able to feel pain, but enough damage would still break his body and begin to slow him. Unfortunately, he was the only one managing a positive outcome. Not surprising, he had more collective experience then everyone else in the room combined even counting both sides and with Oscar acting as a second set of eyes he really couldn't be caught off guard.

Still, this was not good. Hazel was more durable then most elder Grimm by leagues. He'd honestly rather be fighting an Grimm ancient of some kind, a Wyvern or Sea Serpent would have been long dead by now.

Watts went flying by and smashed into the wall behind Hazel. The doctor fell limp to the ground before dragging himself to his knees with a grunt.

Well, it seemed Qrow was winning too. They'd been rather evenly matched last he saw, perhaps Watts' age was catching up to him? Or maybe Qrow's fury was giving him an edge. Drive could decide a battle as easily as skill at times.

Off to his left another fire ball exploded curtsy of Miss Schnee. She was the only reason the White Fang hadn't simply overrun them. They even seemed to be running out of fighters, the ones streaming back in had noticeable damage already. They were rotating their walking wounded back in. Their loses had to be staggering considering the sheer number of the grunts that had been thrown into the meat grinder here.

He was filled with an almost embarrassing amount of pride over how much his students had grown. Oh, they had all shown promise, but to think they would nearly be an individual match for Salem's group of hardened killers? He'd never in his wildest dreams dared to hope for such. They had exceeded every expectation he had for them by leagues.

Yet, they had reached their limit. Blake crashed to the floor nearly on top of him and rolled away just as Tyrian _barely_ missed impaling her with his tail as he followed her down. It left the madman open to a solid strike from his cane and either Qrow or Ren managed to put a few dust rounds in his flying body, but the man simply bounced to his feet with a cackle.

The manic braced to charge again, but suddenly hesitated. He slide back slightly his eyes going wide in surprise. The reason was apparent a moment later when Miss Nikos jumped from the upper levels and landed in a crouch between the two groups. The new fighter caused their opponents to hesitate, a testament to her reputation.

"What the hell are you doing here, Nikos?!" Qrow barked.

Pyrrha turned to look back at them with a smile, the kind Ozpin recognized as knowing something others did not and finding it funny. She started to answer, but stopped a moment later.

She stopped because the entire battle had suddenly ground to a halt. There had been no signal. No sound or energy. Nothing overt to cause such.

Just a feeling.

A feeling that drowned out all other things so completely it could not be ignored.

As if a mountain was suddenly pressing down on all their shoulders. A sensation that had a near physical weight that attempted to drag them all down.

Something deep within them all, something ancient and primal, demanded their attention.

Why? It seemed to ask. Why are you not on your knees?

Oscar understandably panicked. Most of the Fang grunts did too. The feeling simultaneously terrifying them and keeping them frozen.

 _Ozpin what is this? What's happening?_

 _I'd actually forgotten..._

 _What? You're not making sense! Forgotten what?_

His eyes, like the eyes of every living person in the room turned to gaze up at the main stair leading to the higher levels. A single figure strode out onto the platform of the main landing.

 _What a god's presence feels like._

Anduriel stood atop the upper floor. Pure power wreathed him in a halo of emerald incandescence. His eyes burned with it and the world around him twisted, wreathed, and cracked. Brilliant white lines stretched from his body like wings made of frozen lightning. What they touched seemed to simply become no more. The walls, the railings, the stone work, it made no difference. What the cracks in reality came in contact with ceased to be.

An image of a great star occasionally flickered into existence around him like a screen shifting erratically between pictures somehow brought to life. The light of it took forms that were recognizable yet wholly alien. A sea of eyes and jaws and teeth and reaching claws made of green flames that would rend apart all in its path. A thing that should not be. A thing that _could not_ be.

He didn't speak. Merely stared down at their enemies and the entire group, even Salem's elite and Taurus, shied backwards. Limbs trembled and more then one weapon clattered to the floor.

Almost in parallel to everyone else's reaction, his and Qrow's included, the students seemed suddenly bolstered. Tiredness seemed to shed from them like a passing dream and stances solidified with renewed energy. Pyrrha rose to stand like a proud sentinel, daring anyone to take a single step forward and challenge her.

None did.

For a long moment not a soul seemed to so much as breath.

Finally Anduriel broke the silence.

"Flee." He whispered, his voice barring down on them with all the inevitability of a landslide. "Or die."

That was all it took.

The majority of the Fang turned and fled. Those that remained finally reacted. Taurus began shouting half-panicked orders. Salem's people moved to reengage them. Driven by fear and their leader's shouting the remaining White Fang brought whatever fire arms they had to bear on the obvious target above them.

Before a single bullet could be fired Anduriel vanished from the upper level and reappeared before a female White Fang member wielding a rifle.

She was young, Ozpin noted, no older then Ruby.

He hadn't appeared before her for any particular reason. She was simply the unfortunate that had been closest to him. There was no malice in that choice. Just a cold, clinical decision.

The closest one dies first. The rest will follow.

She had just enough time to scream in utter terror before Anduriel thrust an open palm at her and a flare of pure Aura erupted from his hand. The girl's own Aura flickered in an attempt to protect her then popped like a soap bubble. An instant later she detonated in a spray of viscera, blood, and bone chips.

The sheer power of the attack knocked those nearby away. The brutality of it caused even more of the Fang to break. It even caused Salem's people to stall except for Tyrian who charged Anduriel with reckless abandon.

He had enough time to register Anduriel spinning into the mass of enemy bodies with a gleaming black sword, those nearest screaming in horror and scrambling to escape as he did.

Tyrian vanished into the group, likely trying to reach Anduriel. Hazel and Watts charged back at him and Qrow, but the strain on their faces, the fear, showed their confidence had been shattered. The battle had turned in an instant. Watt's opened up with a bolt of lightning fired from his weapon, after that Ozpin was force to focus on Hazel dodging a fist that pulverized stone with every missed strike.

He evaded backwards, parried a blow, then lashed out. Hazel chose to dodge away for once, only proving how low on Aura the man finally was, but it gave Ozpin a moment to breath as well.

Then something roared. The far wall, already damaged by the explosion the attackers had used to enter the building, collapsed as an Ursa the size of a city bus plowed through the reinforced stone. It was followed by dozens of beowolves and a few creeps. Outside more dark shapes could be seen tearing apart the Fang troops that had been outside.

 _Of course, why not the Grimm too? As if the situation could get any worse! Next thing you know Atlas will be showing up to fight us!_

"Pyrrha!" He roared to get the girl's attention over the din of combat and terrified screams.

The champion almost haphazardly batted a trio of Fang grunts away from her and sniped a Beowolf in the eye all in one smooth motion. She turned in his direction and he pointed toward the elevator that lead to the lower levels.

"The vault is beneath the statue, it's an elevator! Salem's people are down there already! We will handle this! Stop them!"

She hesitated for a brief moment, eyes sweeping the battlefield as it became little more then a carnage filled killing ground. She nodded and sprinted for the elevator.

Relieved he turned back to Hazel just in time to lean away from a punch and counter with a strike to the other man's chest that sent him staggering back.

Hopefully, she would do better then he had.

* * *

Pyrrha skidded to a halt before the statue. An elevator the headmaster had said. So how to operate it. Something crashed behind her and she flinched. The twitching arm of a ursa had landed not four feet away.

She decided she didn't have time for this.

Reaching out with her semblance she simply grabbed the entire elevator platform and forced it downward. Metal screamed in protest as some kind of locking system tried to resist her, but it ultimately proved no match for her when she started twisting the mechanisms beneath the platform apart.

With a ear shredding shriek the entire area around the statue plummeted a few feet before she caught it with her semblance and began to slowly lower it downward. After a few seconds the din of frenzied combat became stifled. Then it faded away to little more then a muted clatter in the distance.

Just as she was beginning to suspect the entrance might be miles beneath the school or some other cheesy adventure story trope she hit rock bottom. Releasing her semblance with a relieved sigh she glanced at the door in front her.

Sealed shut with no obvious controls. They likely opened automatically if the elevator came down normally.

Scowling she reached out with her powers again and ripped the door open enough for her to slide out. She was immediately greeted by the stunned face of Cinder Fall holding... a big gold lamp?

She didn't bother asking questions instead throwing herself forward aggressively to drive Fall backwards and away from the entrance. She'd rather not get stuck in the small shaft if she could help it. As the other woman staggered backwards Pyrrha noted two more people further back. One had to be the other Maiden. Not good.

She took a moment to gauge her soon to be battlefield. A long wide causeway with an open door at one end and the elevator entrance at the other. To the sides were nothing, but a gaping black pit. Grand. Just... just grand. She'd have preferred walls, at least she could maneuver with those.

"Nikos!" Cinder snarled, her face contorted with rage. Rather then attack however, she retreated keeping a firm grip on whatever the golden lamp was and threw a blast of fire directly at her. She rolled to the side responding with a few dust rounds. The other woman blocked them with a wall of ice.

That was new.

Also not good.

She rolled forward and came up running using pure momentum to sprint up the ice wall and coming down on the far side with her javelin already deployed. Cinder had called up one of her glass swords in one hand, but was still holding onto the lamp with the other.

It had to be the Relic then. Pyrrha made it her top priority, but wasn't going to complain about her opponent handicapping herself.

Their weapons met and Pyrrha was surprised when the other woman staggered badly from the attack. Fall nearly tripped as she skipped backwards to gain distance. The woman threw her glass sword like a boomerang and the thing actually caught fire as it left her hand.

Pyrrha easily swatted it out of the air, though she flinched back when it exploded into glass shrapnel on impact with the ground. She'd obviously improved her control over the the Maiden's powers. That was... unfortunate.

Another woman, this one in black and red armor with a Grimm mask stepped up next to Cinder.

"Whose this? She seems strong."

Cinder scowled, but didn't answer.

"Pyrrha Nikos." She introduced herself. Politeness had been drilled into her brain to such an extent it was just an automatic response at this point. Besides maybe she could convince them to switch sides? They didn't seem very committed to the cause if her only reaction to Cinder being attacked was vague interest. "I don't suppose I could convince you to leave could I?"

"Hhhmmm." She glanced down at the other dark haired woman, the mask prevented Pyrrha from seeing her expression. Then she shrugged. "Well since you asked so nicely. I've done what I need to anyways. Vernal, come. Mission complete."

Pyrrha was just starting to breath a sigh of relief when Fall opened her mouth. "If I don't make it out of here with the relic, my mistress will consider the deal off."

The woman froze. "Funny you forgot to mention that." Her voice was utterly glacial.

Cinder shrugged. "It seemed rather obvious."

Pyrrha thought Winter had the most chilling glare she'd even seen, but the red eyes behind the mask practically glowed with their sheer hatred. "So be it."

"Wa-wait!" She tensed, back peddling slightly as both the black haired woman and the younger girl behind her dropped into combat stances. "What deal?! We can-"

"Keep your promises, girl. You work for Ozpin." The masked woman growled. "One manipulator or another. At least this one has promised to leave me be after this."

She braced herself just before the masked woman flickered across the floor at her. The sheer speed of the charge caught her off guard and she only barely parried the opening strike with Akoúo̱ and even then she was staggered backwards a step.

The only thing that had saved her from tanking the blow was that she recognized the style. A modified Mistralian sword art that focused on speed. Mostly reliant on getting power through precision draw techniques. Highly lethal, but generally rather predictable. The best practitioners tended to use another style that focused on one or two handed blade techniques if the setup strike failed until they could fall back and reset for another go.

What complicated matters was the woman's weapon, some kind of dust sword. A subtle poke with her semblance showed the entire blade was actually pure dust shaped into a sword and not metal at all. That could give it all kinds of distressing properties.

At least Cinder's Vacuo inspired martial arts style was easier to counter on a purely skill based level.

The armored woman was also alarmingly fast. Ruby levels of fast and stronger then Nora or Yang!

That shouldn't even be possible without two semblances or...

Or magic.

The Spring Maiden!

"Hold this!" She heard Cinder snap as she desperately tried to make space between herself an her enemies.

A startled "Hey!" that must of come from the short haired girl and suddenly she had a pillar of fire blossom beneath her feet. She dodged backwards then swatted a glass arrow out of the air before having to parry another lightning fast strike from the masked woman.

She tried to shift into attack her dark armored opponent only to be forced on the defensive by another arrow from Fall.

They had her locked down. If Fall's weapons had been metal she could of turned the tide with her semblance, but she couldn't effect glass. While she could moderately control her other opponent she couldn't take time to actually land a strike with Cinder keeping her pinned from ranged.

Too much! Two Maidens was two much power focused on a single target!

 _Anduriel!_

Their was no response in words just a sense of acknowledgment. The flood gates of their conjoined souls opened. The power that slammed into her was more refined then it had been before. His Aura infused her in a way that granted her access to things it hadn't before. Knowledge, memories. She knew how to use this... she knew how to...

As Cinder Fall and the mask woman bore down on her from separate sides she reached out with her mind like she would while using her semblance, but with Anduriel's power instead and then pulled. The world bent and wreathed. Cinder appeared in her ally's path and staggered. The two crashed into each other, their bodies falling to the floor with cries of alarmed surprise.

Pyrrha took hold of the masked woman's sword with her semblance and tore it from her grip. Only the hilt was metal, but shock had loosened her hold allowing her to send the weapon hurtling out into the void that surrounded the walkway.

Before they could get back to their feet she charged in. swinging low at the masked woman. Milo struck true and while her aura flared to prevent any real damage she still cried out. As her enemies both rolled away and to their feet the Grimm mask clattered to the ground in two pieces. When the furious red eyed woman looked up at her Pyrrha found herself frozen to the spot.

She looked almost exactly like Yang. The resemblance was uncanny.

"You'll pay for that girl." She growled, staggering slightly as she rose to her feet.

She hunched forward slightly and gripped her head as if fighting a migraine. The blow had clearly dazed her despite Aura and the armored mask. Not surprising considering the amount of power she put into her arm for it. Pyrrha had actually been hoping to either disable or kill her right there. Maybe if she'd hit skin instead of the armored mask she would have.

Any other situation Pyrrha would of taken advantage of the distraction, but she was still locked up from the shock of her opponent's appearance.

When the woman looked up again, however, she to froze. Her red eyes widened slightly. "You're a Maiden."

Pyrrha cocked her head to the side slightly in confusion. She was, technically, but Cinder had most of the Mantle, too much of it for Pyrrha to really use any of the magic herself.

"You failed to mention," The red eyed woman turned to glare at Fall who had actually retreated quite far, "That they had a Maiden with them."

"She isn't." Cinder hissed. "This is Anduriel's power, not Ozpin's."

Red eyes snapped back to her. "You're telling me there are actually three of them running around now? A witch and a wizard weren't enough?"

"At this point? Yes, there are three. A witch, a wizard, and a demon."

"Fantastic." The other woman finally stood up eying her with obvious trepidation. "Vernal, the deals off, we're going."

"What?!" Fall made to lung forward only for her erstwhile ally to hold out a massive blade of pure ice that had appeared in her hands. The thing practically radiated power.

"Back off. This deal isn't worth it any more. You can't win this fight."

Cinder seethed, but glanced between the two of them uncertainly. If she attacked her retreating companions then it would just turn the fight into a free for all. In such a situation Pyrrha would have the edge, especially with the limited control she had over Anduriel's powers while using his Aura like this.

She'd have to train with it later to bring her control up to mastery levels. She'd accept nothing less for any weapon she wielded, even a borrowed one.

"What about the relic thingy?" The girl with short brown hair asked, holding said relic up with one hand.

"Drop it. Let them fight it out." The woman turned to look at Fall spitefully. "If you live through this tell your vaunted goddess to kindly burn in hell." With that she turned away and cut her hand through the air leaving a black and red rift of energy. "Go."

The brown haired woman shrugged and dropped the lamp as she sauntered forward, she paused just before reaching it and winked over her shoulder in Pyrrha's direction. "Maybe next time, champ. Would of been fun, I think."

"Umm..?" Before Pyrrha could think of a proper answer she turned and vanished through what was obviously a portal.

"Best of luck, Fall." The woman in red armor waved condescendingly before likewise vanishing.

Cinder trembled for a moment before exhaling and turning to face her. Then her eyes ignited with fire. "This isn't over. Not yet."

Pyrrha tensed, but didn't answer. She'd learned from last time. No banter. No hesitation. Not this time.

They dashed at each other and while Pyrrha couldn't understand the uncertain fear in Cinder Fall's eyes it was only because she couldn't see the corona of poisonous light that poured from her own or the rents that formed in the very fabric of reality behind her.

* * *

Let it be known that Weiss Schnee did not hate nor think less of Faunus. Despite how many had wronged her or her family. She did not blame a group of people for the failings of a few. She better then most understood what it was like to be blamed an hated for the actions of others. So even if she had been a vindictive person she wouldn't have been able to hate faunus for the suffering her family and friends had gone through as she grew up.

She did however, both hate and think less of the White Fang. In her mind she still called them animals, but it had nothing to do with their species and everything to do with their actions. She'd have thought of them as monsters, but she didn't want to insult the Grimm. They, at least, were monsters by nature and not choice.

So when she threw yet another, and unfortunately her last, blast of fire dust into a combined clustered of Grimm and Fang grunts she felt she could be forgiven for the surge of satisfaction as both parties were scattered and thrown through the air trailing smoke. She would, of course, say it was to save the Fang from being eaten by said Grimm, which was true. Them getting caught in the blast was just an unavoidable bonus.

With her fire dust expended though she was down to ice and lightning for direct offense. Neither of which were really suited to destroying large groups of foes.

Grimacing she surged forward to impale a beowolf through the eyes and spun backwards slitting another's throat as she passed it. A glyph launch her toward the ceiling, away from four more that tried to pile on her from several directions which a delayed ice dust glyph promptly flash froze into a macabre statue. Another rocketed her back down on top of a bus sized Ursa Major whose brain she nailed to the floor with Myrtenaster, her sheer velocity letting her weapon punch through thick armor, hide and bone with ease.

Off to her right Ozpin was still fighting the big man called Hazel. That fight had degenerated into an almost desperate brawl on Hazel's part and the ex-headmaster's experience as well as his foes exhaustion had reduced the other man to an oversized punching bag.

The more refined man that had been with Hazel was losing equally badly to Qrow, but he'd fallen back into a mass of Grimm which had evened the odds in his favor. Occasionally he launched bolts of lightning out of the pack and he had shown his mace could deploy into an extremely long whip-like flail which was letting him fight from well out of reach.

Blake and Ren were teaming up on a White Fang member, one she recognized as the Bloody Beast himself, and where driving him back. He and Blake where yelling furiously at each other, but she couldn't make out what they were actually saying over the sounds of the chaotic melee around them. The fact that he was constantly having to cover his back from the Grimm while still fending off the two ninja like Hunters in front of him put him in a rather precarious position.

Hopefully an ursa would disembowel him while he was distracted. Or maybe a creep would eat him. She'd be happy with either.

Some place in the center of the room Anduriel was clashing with Tyrian Callows, the deranged Faunus would occasionally flip over the seething mass of Grimm toward the rafters only to be forced back down by massive blasts of pure green Aura.

The same blasts would also occasionally send dozens of Grimm flying as Anduriel kept himself from getting bogged down by them. At this point he was the only reason they hadn't been totally overwhelmed. The Grimm had to pass by him and Tyrian in order to reach the rest of them and the sheer amount of carnage the extra-dimensional being was unleashing broke any advantage numbers might of bought. How Callows was still alive was an utter mystery to her.

She flicked her blade at Hazel and sent a bolt of lightning at the man's exposed back. The blast staggered him and overloaded both lightning crystals embedded in his arms causing them to detonate. He gave a startled roar, notably not sounding pained which should of been impossible, but Ozpin took advantage of his distraction to send the big man flying with an jumping stab to the chest from his cane.

"Thank you, Miss Schnee." he said calmly as he skidded to a halt next to her.

"He was getting on my nerves." She responded primly then grimaced as she saw the man rise yet again behind a wall of Grimm. Thankfully he finally seemed too wary or injured to reengage them. "How is he still standing?"

"His semblance is pain suppression." Ozpin explained tiredly. "Little short of death or total exhaustion can stop Hazel."

She sighed, stabbing her weapon up into the gaping maw of an alpha beowolf that had tried to pounce on her without even looking at it. "Fantastic."

He hummed eying the battlefield for a moment. "Miss Schnee do you think you could seal the gaps in the wall. If we can bottle neck the Grimm we might be able to force them outside and hold them until reinforcements arrive."

She eyed the massive holes the first Ursa Majors had knocked through the stone walls. "I can try, but ice dust won't hold them any better then the stone did, if they have more Ursa..."

"Then it will be a wasted effort. I know." He nodded his expression set in stone. "Still it is one of our only options. We cannot hold them like this."

She nodded. "I need to get close then." She sent another bolt of lightning into the horde. This one not nearly as concentrated so that it branched wildly into the seething mass of Grimm. It wasn't nearly as devastating as a fire ball, but it did stun and stagger many of the creatures. "We have a plan! Push them back!"

Anduriel apparently heard her, for an instant later an utterly enormous plum of energy erupted at the center of the room. It seemed to simply vaporize whatever Grimm it touched. Sadly she saw Callows leaping desperately away, his once gleefully expression strained.

Qrow and Ozpin began forcing their two foes backwards, slaughtering any Grimm that approached with renewed vigor. Hazel backpedaled with the expression of a man who knew he was not going to win a fight and the other man had a look of pure frustrate rage that spoke of someone completely unused to failure.

"Adam!"

She turned toward Blake's furious scream just in time to see Taurus turn tail a flee deeper into the school. Ren grabbed Blake's shoulder to stop her from giving chase and after a moments hesitation her teammate turned back to the horde. Slowly they began to push the dark monsters toward the collapsed walls. The monsters died by the dozens as Salem's people were forced inch by inch backwards. Every bolt of lightning. Every burst of green death. Back toward the barrier that would bottle neck their enemies.

The sheer desperation on their foes faces as the tide began to turn against them was invigorating. Even the Grimm began to throw themselves forward with a kind of desperate recklessness she didn't even know they were capable of.

However, the closer they got to the breach it also became clear that Salem had sent a veritable army against them. Far more then what had been at Greenwreath. The sea of dark fur stretched as far as she could see and swarmed over buildings. As always with the Grimm it would be a battle of attrition just with the added threat of their human foes jumping in from some unexpected angle.

The only small mercy was that the only airborne Grimm she spotted were the occasional small nevermore that her gun wielding companions picked off almost without thought. She was extremely thankful Griffons were mostly native to Vale.

Near the center of their formation Anduriel snarled and raised his hands. A wall of solid green energy blossomed between them and the Grimm. The monsters threw themselves against it. Claws and fangs of all kinds scrabbled uselessly against the gleaming barrier. Then he shoved forward a step pushing the entire seething mass of death backwards with nothing, but the strength of his soul.

He roared, a sound that drowned out the Grimm completely and simply shoved the monsters backwards in mass. As soon as the light passed the academies exterior wall the barrier detonated outward in spires of deadly luminescence clearing a good forty foot area around the outer wall.

"Weiss!"

She wasn't sure who yelled, but she slammed Myrtenaster into the floor and channeled every drop of Aura she had into the ice dust she had left. Glyphs radiated away from her filling the space between the walls. Ice blossomed from the ground, nearly ten feet thick and sprung up to thirty feet in the air, filling the gap the bombs and Grimm had knocked in the walls before spreading further to reinforce the surrounding structure. She left a ten foot gap in the wall, enough for two hunters to fight comfortably in, right were Anduriel was standing.

A moment after the ice finished spreading her Aura flickered then faded away. Her legs gave out beneath her and she would of fallen had Blake not caught her.

The wreathing horde surged forward for the gap only be bottle necked and begin being butchered wholesale as Qrow stepped up next to the other man his weapon deploying into an absolutely enormous scythe. The two completely annihilating the beasts as they approached.

"Regroup!" Ozpin barked. "Everyone besides Anduriel and Qrow rest. If you have something to eat do so. When they tire we will rotate whoever has the highest Aura in." He turned to regard her with a proud smile. "Well, done Weiss. Rest now, we shall handle the rest."

She could do little, but nod tiredly as Blake lowered her into a sitting position away from the carnage.

There was a tense few minutes as the two men butchered leaping beowolves and charging ursa by the dozens. Even the occasional beringel or boarbatusk that tried to power through the gap fell cleaved into quickly dissolving chunks. It was in all honesty inspiring to see.

Qrow moved with all the grace, skill, and precision being a veteran of his experience implied and Weiss realized that his fight with Winter all those months ago had been a mere game to him. He'd been _playing_ with her sister. She now also knew who taught Ruby how to handle a scythe with such expertise. Even his niece, who had been the most talented scythe expert Weiss had ever seen, probably couldn't match him with the weapon.

Anduriel was more a force of nature then a huntsman. He lacked Qrow's fluidity of movement, but he made up for it with sheer speed and raw brutality. Anything that approached him was struck down in a flurry of swings so blindly fast that she could barely track the weapon in his hand. His blade also twisted and stretched impossibly, defying all manor of physics as it blurred in lethal arcs. Occasionally he swung at thin air only for the sword's blade to appear yards away and slice the head or limbs off an approaching alpha.

The only reason the small gap she had left as a bottleneck hadn't been clogged with corpses was because the bodies evaporated so fast. Had the Grimm left physical remains they would have been crawling up a wall of their dead at this point.

Tyrian occasionally jumped into the battle, forcing Anduriel to focus on pushing the other man back, but such exchanges were fast and furious clashes that ended in a few seconds rather then drawn out fights.

When Qrow finally tired, something that to her shock took nearly five minutes of nonstop slaughter, Anduriel unleashed a massive burst of Aura that killed or knocked away every Grimm nearby allowing Ren to slide into position next to him without being pressured.

The slaughter continued, the Grimm seeming to be distressingly without end. There was also now no sign at all of their Salem's lieutenants, which was worrying in different ways.

A few minutes later Ren was about to tap out allowing Oscar to step into the fight when both of their front line fighters froze for a moment.

Ren turned his head to cry out a single word of warning. "Deathstalker!"

She used Myrtenaster to lever herself into a standing position to see and sure enough a massive black scorpion was plowing its way through the horde toward them. The thing was easily as big as the one from their initiation, but were that Deathstalker had seemed old, weakened by time and inactivity, this one still looked fresh. It's armor shone brightly beneath the afternoon sun and it's eyes burned like coals as it came at them. The only good thing is it didn't bother letting the lesser Grimm clear a path merely trampling them under foot or swatting them aside like toys as it charged their position.

Anduriel snarled and raised his hand. Aura gathered in his palm for a moment, but he staggered. There was a loud crackling sound like glass shattering on concert and the green light that had surrounded him vanished. He stared down at his hand for a moment in what she could only describe as dumbfounded disbelief.

Qrow charged back into line. "He's faded!"

A shock of pure _incredulity_ went through Weiss. How could he not have noticed he was approaching his limit! They were all trained...

 _Oh..._

Because he wasn't trained. He'd never had Aura before, despite how often they all forgot that fact. Of course, he wouldn't know what approaching the edge felt like.

To her astonishment Anduriel merely grimaced and went right back to butchering everything that neared him. A normal hunter would've been in the same state she was in, barely functional, but Anduriel seemed able to simply power through it without issue. Just another reminder he wasn't actually a normal person.

It still left him vulnerable now though and nothing they had could bring the Deathstalker down from range.

"Prepare to fall back." Ozpin barked. "Blake grab Weiss, retreat up the stairs, we'll try to hold them in the main hall! Qrow, Anduriel when it breaks the wall kill it before you retreat, we can't risk it bringing the building down on us!"

"Right!"

"Understood."

Blake nodded silently moving to throw an arm over her shoulder and started leading her away from what would quickly be a rather rushed retreat when she spotted something. Something in the sky.

"What's that?" She asked pointing over the boy's and out beyond the seething Grimm.

Blake squinted. "Griffon?"

"Can't be, too small."

A moment later the shape, which was rapidly approaching them revealed itself on two jets of exhaust.

"Bullhead!" Blake called out as soon as she realized what it was.

Ozpin's head snapped up to stare at it for a second. It was coming in fast. Very fast in fact. So fast it didn't even seem to be slowing down...

"Incoming!" Ozpin hollered, somehow turning Oscar's teenage voice into a commanding roar that cut through the din. "Bullhead on collision course!"

Weiss watched in transfixed horror as the ship became an impromptu missile. Screaming out of the sky with such furry that most of the Grimm turned to face it. Including the Deathstalker.

That gave the giant insect just enough time to realize it's doom, before the bullhead smashed into it and detonated, cratering the ground and flash frying everything in a twenty foot radius.

Just before it crashed five people had thrown themselves out the side doors dropping into the stunned mass of Grimm like smaller meteors. The sounds of weapons being fired echoed from where the figures had jumped and the entire horde shuddered in confusion. Torn between continuing their assault and facing the new threat many of them simply tripped each other up completely.

A familiar crack ripped through the air. One she had heard so many times in training and in Miss Goodwitch's class she simply would never be able to forget it.

 _Crescent Rose._

"Ruby!" She tried to stagger forward, but she was still too weak. Blake caught her, but she still tried to reach out. "Ruby is out there!"

In front of her both Qrow and Anduriel surged into the Grimm with sudden ferocious abandon, Qrow actually leaping over Ren's shoulders to reach the closest Grimm. The two began cutting a swath of devastation right through the monsters as Ozpin stepped up with a curse to hold the line with Ren. Their sheer aggression combined with the Grimm's confusion let them punch a sizable bubble outward away from the walls. Anduriel had actually dropped his sword and a crude mimicry of Qrow's scythe had appeared in his hands. The weapon allowed him to cleave half a dozen Grimm apart with each blistering fast swing even though he had no real skill with it.

He swung it like he was cutting wheat and yet the Grimm fell like cleaved grass. Against foes without any real tactics or skills of their own pure physical power and speed were an adequate replacement for experience.

Pink explosions torn through the horde further back throwing dark furred bodies and limbs into the air. The tinted dust explosions that marked Nora's grenades. They seemed to be making their way mostly toward them, the school was the only real place to hold back the tide after all. After a few tense seconds the blade of Crescent Rose reaching over the throng of Grimm in lethal arcs and the booms of Ember Celica drew close enough see and hear.

"Ruby! Yang!" Qrow screamed desperately. "Over here! We're over here!"

A burst of rose petals appeared in the air and resolved into Ruby. She waved in excitement. "Uncle Qrow!"

As she fell back into the horde she shouted and pointed in their direction. "That way! That way!"

Almost immediately a series of pink grenades sent beowolves and ursa, along with what looked like a single unfortunate creep, flying in every direction.

Yang and Nora punched through the mass of monsters giving triumphant cries as they did turning and falling into line with Anduriel and Qrow just like Miss Goodwitch had hammered into their heads. A moment later Ruby, Jaune, and a Atlas soldier in a pilots uniform charged through the gap the two brawlers had punched through the Grimm's ranks.

They too fell into line, a wedge formation with just enough room between fighters to not trip each other up. The soldier slide backwards a little further before about facing and bringing her combat rifle onto target. Standard procedure when normal military supported hunter teams was stay back and provided fire support.

"Retreat by turns! Hold them back!" Qrow barked.

Weapons discharged in a veritable blizzard of high caliber dust rounds. Ren and Blake adding their own covering fire from their positions while Ozpin swatted away any Grimm that tried to breach the icy doorway. The beasts finally recovered enough sense to restart their attack and surged forward. However, the withering hail of dust rounds slew all, but the toughest monsters. The few to close the distance quickly fell pray to Anduriel or Jaune, the only two without ranged weapons.

Her friends and teammates began to slide back in twos. One pair would retreat and turn to cover the next groups. The last were always Qrow and Anduriel.

When they finally reached the gap the two men forced Ren and Ozpin back as they held the door again.

The five new comers staggered through the door a little winded, but the Atlas soldier immediately began taking pot shots into the horde outside along with Ruby.

"What the heck is this?!" Yang yelled waving a hand at the slaughter going on in front of their eyes. "Where is everyone? Why are we in Beacon War Two: Electric Boogaloo?!"

"No time!" Ozpin barked striding up. "I am grateful to see you all well, but we must move quickly. Miss Nikos is fighting in the vault beneath us as we speak and-"

"Whose the kid?" Nora put her hands on her hips and leaned forward as she squinted at Oscar.

The ex-headmaster sighed. "Later." He pointed at Yang. "Miss Xiao Long can you go below and help Miss Nikos? She's been fighting alone since this madness began."

Yang eyes flashed red and sparks began drifting from her hair. "Where?"

Weiss answered first, pointing toward the hole Pyrrha had torn in the floor. "She's down there, its an elevator, but Pyrrha had to break it to get down. No idea how deep it goes."

Yang was sprinting away almost before she finished.

"Be careful!" Blake called after her to which Yang waved without looking back.

"Now then, holding here will be much easier with all of you, assuming the Grimm don't bother breaching from another direction. Miss Rose if you would-"

"They won't be a problem for much longer anyways." Nora interrupted cheerfully.

"What?"

Jaune tried to answer, but Nora talked over him. "Oh, they're all about to be exploded."

Ozpin rubbed his face. "Your enthusiasm is noted, Miss Valkyrie, but-"

Jaune tried to say something again, but again Nora cut them both off.

"Pft, nah! That's not what I meant. Well, I mean, sure I like blowing up Grimm!" To demonstrate she fired a grenade over Qrow's head, who ducked with a yelp, which struck a jumping Beringel square in the nose. The poor Grimm was flipped head over heels backwards into the horde were it promptly explode into literal pink confetti, reducing it and every unfortunate monster near it into paste. "It's really fun watching the bits fly all over, but I don't have nearly-"

"Nora." Ren interrupted tiredly.

"Yes, Ren?"

"What do you mean, they are about to be exploded?"

"Oh, the battleship will catch up in a few seconds!" Nora said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It was only a couple of minutes behind us."

There was a pregnant pause as everyone digested that information. One of Blake's ears was twitching somewhat erratically in little flicking motions.

"What battleship?" Ozpin finally asked.

Nora made to answer, but Ruby clapped a hand over her mouth. Not that it stopped the other girl judging by the mumbling sounds and enthusiastic hand gestures. Jaune just sighed and pointed back outside.

They all turned right as a series of explosions ripped through the courtyard beyond Anduriel and Qrow, both of whom staggered backwards in surprise, throwing up a screen of dust and dead Grimm. The blasts had so much power that the wall of ice that had endured everything the Grimm had thrown at it cracked in several places.

An Atlasian battleship had crested the forest. It had come in so low that the tops of the tallest trees actually shattered against the warship's prow masking its approach until it was literally right on top of them all. The forward cannons fired again, light flashing along its front, before another series of detonations torn the horde of Grimm to shreds.

Ozpin's jaw dropped for a moment before turning back to the three newcomers. "How did James get here so fast? How did you even contact him?!"

"General Ironwood?" Ruby asked in confusion. "He's not here."

"What- but then who-?"

"Dear evil doers!" A cheerful voice called out over what had to be the warships projectors. "This is Atlas Specialist Penny Polendina speaking! Please surrender! This ship if fully combat ready and you have no cover or air support! I would very much like to ask you several thousand questions and that is hard to do if we accidentally reduce you to atoms!"

"Penny?!" Blake gasped in disbelief.

"Specialist?!" Weiss managed to screech.

Ruby nodded excitedly. "The doctor fixed her! Isn't that great?!"

"Also," Penny's voice continued. "It would be exceptional if all the Grimm could kindly die now. Please? Thank you!"

The cannons discharged again, the spread was wider this time, focused on causing as much damage to the horde as possible rather then clearing the zone around their defenses. She also saw the broadside cannons along both sides of the ship fire and parts of the forest beyond Haven's walls collapsed as the airship engaged targets that were still hidden outside the school.

Ozpin stared at the carnage outside for a few more seconds before releasing the most tired sigh she'd ever heard from another person. "Oscar you're on your own. I can't handle any more." His eyes flickered to hazel and blinked in confusion. "Wait what? What about the- what do you mean you don't care? Ozpin?!"

Despite everything that had happened and how tired she was Weiss started laughing. She couldn't help it. Everything suddenly just seemed so ridiculous.

She was so _done_ with today.

* * *

Yang was not sure what she'd find when she managed to slide to the bottom of the elevator shaft. She'd been ready for a lot of things. Pyrrha near dead being one. Her being surrounded by bodies was another.

What she wasn't ready for was finding her friend blazing with green light and surrounded by what looked suspiciously like lightning if someone hit slow button on it standing on a bridge with another woman who looked... well she looked pretty deranged honestly.

Black hair gone all crazy, a few bruises, soot all over her face. Her dress, which at one point must have been a gorgeous red and gold thing, was torn and crisped around the edges. There was also a large red patch on her side, darker then the dress, that looked wet. It had to be blood.

It was her eyes, though, that really sold the whole "I'm a crazy person" thing. Her eyes had this feral quality that she'd never seen in a person before.

She looked... well she looked broken for lack of a better word.

As her boots clanked into the floor both Pyrrha and the crazy woman turned to look at her. It was almost a flinch in the woman's case, as if she literally could not keep herself from jumping at the sound.

"Uhh... Hi?" She said unsure what she'd just walked into.

The woman growled something then to her surprise snapped "Shut up! It means nothing!" Off to the side.

Yang took a few hesitate steps forward, Pyrrha held her ground as the woman made a false start charge then staggered backwards as if she'd been struck by something.

"What... is this?" She whispered as she fell in line with her friend.

She dropped into a loose combat stance, honestly not sure if she should try being threatening or not.

"I'm not sure." Pyrrha whispered back, there was an odd tonal echo to her voice and Yang could see her eyes were glowing green. "She's been like this for a while now."

"What? Have you just been staring at each other?" She joked in a strained voice.

Pyrrha hesitated. "Kind of?" She shrugged. "We started fighting, but then she... I don't know it was like something was talking to her and kept distracting her. She's been paying more attention to it rather then me for some time now. She'll still make a rush every now and then, but it's sloppy."

Yang watched the dark hair woman twitch and growl. "Not willing to just jump her?"

"I..." Pyrrha looked at their opponent. For a given definition of the word anyways. "I got the relic away from her," She brushed her heel against a fancy golden lamp thingy by her foot. "But I don't feel comfortable just attacking her when she's-"

"Be quiet! I- I can still- No I can! Shut up!" The other woman whirled and shot a bolt of lightning at a random wall, then froze the floor around herself. She lurched to her left clutching her head as if in pain and fell dangerously close to the edge before scrambling away.

Yang grimaced. This was not how she expected this to be going.

"Like that." Pyrrha continued unsure. "I don't know what's wrong, but..."

"Jumping her would feel greasy. I hear you." Yang muttered. "How's her Aura?"

"Broken." Pyrrha returned just as the woman shot a plume of fire in their general direction. It missed, but Yang still gave her a deadpan look. "It is! She's using the Mantle, magic doesn't run off Aura."

She groaned at that. "Great, so she's nuts, attacking things that aren't there, pretty much defenseless, but still has super powers. Any idea how to take her down without killing her?"

Pyrrha hesitated. "Maybe we could just rush her? I wasn't confident in restraining her alone, but together it might be more manageable. All we need is to knock her out or bind her limbs."

"Ok, so-"

"Get out of my head!" The dark haired woman suddenly screamed and began clawing at her own face. Her nails dug red rents in her skin. "Get out! Getoutgetoutgetout!"

Yang's eyes widened and she darted forward without thinking to stop the woman from mutilating herself. She heard Pyrrha's foot steps as she did the same next to her. The older woman didn't even seem to be paying attention for a moment then when they were only a few feet away her eyes snapped onto them.

The sheer terror in her gaze almost made her falter, but she did her best to ignore it. Their opponent started to bring her hands, now dripping with her own blood, toward them to do who knows what.

Yang bowled into the crazy woman like a bulldozer dragging them both to the ground. The shriek she let loose was not a sound Yang had thought a human throat could actually make. It sent a chill down her spine, but it didn't stop her from quickly grappling the woman's arms even as her hands literally burst into flames. Distressingly her limbs weren't protected from the fire unlike how they would have been from her own semblance and her flesh began to quickly blacken.

Magic apparently lacked safety features.

Yang grimaced. "Knock it off!"

She felt the heel of a foot connect with her ribs and grunted. How the woman managed to bend in such a manor to land the blow she'd never know, but Pyrrha piled on a moment later.

"Cinder, stop!"

"He won't!" The woman, who was apparently Cinder Fall, screamed. "He won't stop! Make him stop!"

 _This_ was Cinder Fall? The same woman she'd seen at Beacon all those months ago? Gods above she wasn't even recognizable as the same person she was such a wreck.

"Who?" Yang ground out struggling to keep Cinder's arms pinned. "Nobody's here, but us!"

"Shut up! I won't! I won't! You can't make me! It's mine!"

Despite being smaller then either her or Pyrrha and being faded Cinder's sheer desperation made keeping her pinned near impossible. Several times Yang had to shift her weight and grip just to keep the woman from dislocating her own arms. All the while her hands continued to burn, flesh cracked and boiling blood fell to the ground beneath them.

"Cinder!" Pyrrha tried again. "You're hurting yourself, stop!"

They were trained for a lot of situations.

Fighting for her life? Sure.

Saving people? Hell, yeah!

Being to late to save people and dealing with the aftermath of Grimm attacks? Sucked, but sure.

They'd been taught how to handle those kinds of things. Even the unpleasant realities of being a Huntress. No matter how much they sucked and no matter how much they all wished they'd never have to use it that information had been hammered into their heads by their professors.

Safely stopping a dangerous person in the throes of a total mental breakdown? Not. A. Clue.

It seemed a rather specific, but suddenly very important, gap in their knowledge.

"No! I won't give it up! I won't! I sacrificed so much! I WON'T!" She flailed madly and despite Yang's best efforts something in her right shoulder popped and her limb bent unnaturally. She very nearly let go on reflex, but knew that would only make the situation worse. Cinder's feverish eyes suddenly locked onto her. "Make him stop! Please, I won't, I can't! Make him stop!"

Behind her she heard Pyrrha gasped in sudden realization. "Anduriel, _**stop!**_ "

There was an echoing roar to her voice that resounded off the far walls ominously for a few moments. The echoes faded away into sudden, complete silence.

All at once Cinder Fall jerked and went still. There were a few more strained moments of silence as they all seemed to wait for something. Then the woman they were pinning down gave a relieved sob and went completely limp. The fires that had been consuming her hands went out leaving behind the smell of charred meat.

Yang grimaced again and gingerly moved the dislocated arm into a safer position to keep the damage to a minimum. They'd have to set that later, but she didn't know how. Hopefully, Weiss or Uncle Qrow would. The burns would likely need much more advanced medical aid. Maybe Penny had someone on her ship that could help.

"What just happened?"

"Anduriel." Pyrrha whispered quietly. "He was talking to her or doing something to her mind."

"What?" Yang jerked up and glanced down at the sobbing ruin of what had once upon a time been an extremely lethal warrior. "How? I know he can talk with you, but he said he can't talk with anyone else!"

"He said he can't talk to any of you." She shook her head tiredly and the light in her eyes faded away. "He never once mentioned if he could talk to someone else."

"Why wouldn't he mention this!?" She waved down at Cinder's unresponsive form. It looked like she'd fainted, not a big surprise really. "This is kind of a big deal."

"To us maybe, but probably not to him. He probably thinks it's something obvious. We never asked the right question anyways, if we had he'd have told us." Pyrrha sighed and stood up. "What do we do now. We have the relic, but if the battle is still going and she wakes up..."

Yang shook her head as she tiredly rubbed her face. "If they held the line for two or three more minutes after I came down here then the fight is already over. Penny got in contact with Ruby and showed up with an Atlas battleship to give us a lift. Once we realized you were already fighting we took a bullhead to get here faster, but it wasn't very far behind us." She shrugged. "Out in the open with no air support the Grimm would have been fucked."

Pyrrha quirked an eyebrow at her language, but she was just tired of it all at this point. She felt the world owed her a curse or two and Ruby wasn't around to hear them.

"So then," Pyrrha paused and picked up the fancy lamp that was apparently the Relic of Knowledge, "What now?"

Yang took a moment to reorganize her thoughts after the entire mess she'd just dealt with. She doubted anyone saw this train wreck coming. Running a hand through her golden locks she sighed. "Grab her and somehow climb back up, I guess." She ventured tiredly.

"I can probably just lift the elevator back up."

"Oh, thank god." Yang looked down at the unmoving woman at their feet and grimaced. "So who get to..." As she looked back up at Pyrrha the other girl blushed and held the lamp up. Yang sighed. "Really, P-money?"

"I'm sorry?" She didn't really sound sorry. Embarrassed sure, but not sorry.

Grumbling Yang bent down and scooped the unconscious woman up. "If she wakes up and burns my face off, I'm haunting you. Fair warning."

Pyrrha laughed and Yang felt a little better about the situation. At least she still had the best jokes.

* * *

"So, yeah!" Ruby exclaimed happily. "You had perfect dramatic timing and everything, Penny!"

"Oh, excellent!" The robot girl squealed, still holding Ruby like an oversized teddybear. She was taller then she had been before, nearly as tall as he was. Must be nice being able to just get an upgrade like that. "Still it is most unfortunate that all of the enemies managed to escape. I had hoped to question at least one of them."

She also looked older. Longer hair, more mature face. She had appeared a teenager during the Vytal Festival, but now? She looked like a woman in her early or mid twenties. She still acted the exact same though. Her upgraded appearance and outfit, an Atlasian Specialist uniform not unlike the Ice Queen's own, did nothing to change her personality.

The outfit alone was enough to make his lips curl down in distaste. Least she wore sensible combat boots rather then the ridiculous high heeled things Schnee did.

"Wouldn't worry about it, in all honestly they probably know nothing of any real value." Qrow grumbled eying the two with a hint of parental suspicion. "Can you put my niece down now?"

Penny blinked and glanced down at Ruby uncertainly who looked just as uncertainly up at her. She looked back at him with obvious confusion. "Why?"

 _Because_ , he thought sarcastically, _you're literally a walking girl toy and I'm not giving her too you. Knowing Atlas and it's tendency for over design you probably have a vibrate function._

Tai was going to kill him for involving the girls in this entire mess all ready.

"She's old enough to stand on her own. Besides she has to be heavy."

"You take that back!" His niece gasped indignantly.

Of course she got offended by obvious facts. Never mind that she was five foot three inches of pure muscle, carrying a weapon of solid metal bigger then she was _and_ a bunch of specialized high caliber ammo.

In what universe could she possibly be considered lightweight?

"Worry not, Mr Branwen! Ruby weighs next to nothing!" To demonstrate the girl hoisted his niece higher and sat Ruby on her shoulders. "Carrying her is no problem at all!"

This universe apparently.

"Ha!" Ruby grinned triumphantly and hooked her legs under the robot's arms.

He knew a lost battle when he saw one and sighed to the ceiling in defeat, covering his eyes with one hand.

 _Sorry, Tai, I tried._

The robot girl looked entirely too pleased about the situation. Chattering away happily about nothing in particular to Weiss who happened to be face palming next to them.

"Did anyone check on, Yang and Nikos yet?" He asked instead.

Everyone stopped.

"Of course not." He muttered before tiredly turning about and walking toward the hole with his weapon drawn.

He was just about to the edge when the most ungodly screeching sound started up and jogged the last few steps to glance over the edge. Far below them he could see Yang looking up at him with a woman thrown over her shoulder. She waved up at him, a gesture he returned with a quick salute.

"Hey, specialist you might get your interrogation after all!" He shouted over the sound and pointed down the hole.

To his disbelief Robogirl actually sprinted over, still carrying Ruby on her shoulders, and leaned over the hole.

"Fantastic!" She exclaimed ignoring Ruby's legs as they locked around her chest and head. She straightened with a grin and Ruby heaved a sigh of relief. "I wonder which one she is? Who was down there?"

"Raven and Cinder Fall at the least." He shrugged. "Ray probably called in the maiden then bailed. She mentioned some kind of deal with Salem's people, but didn't seem particularly invested in actually fighting. She wouldn't have left the main fight if she was."

Ruby fidgeted. "Your sister was here?"

He closed his eyes. Hopefully, she'd already left by the time Yang showed up. There was no way he was even going to try and hide her involvement though. They needed to know now more then ever what they might be up against. If Raven had thrown in with Salem...

Somehow sensing the sudden shift in the previously somewhat playful atmosphere the robot knelt and let Ruby off before backing away a little to give them room. How a machine could tell he'd never know. Maybe she really did have a soul despite being a tin can. Would hardly be the strangest thing he'd seen in the last year.

"Uncle Qrow..." Ruby muttered sadly.

"Later kiddo, okay?" He looked at her imploring eyes and cringed. Dammit that wasn't even fair. "I promise, Ruby. The three of us will sit down and talk."

She stared at him for a few moments longer and for a brief second he saw another girl in a hood staring at him trying to gauge if he was lying or not. A ghost from another time.

"You promise?"

 _You promise?_

He closed his eyes.

Old memories. Good ones, but they still brought up old pains. Old regrets.

 _Not fair, Summer._

 _Sorry~._

 _No, you're not._

 _Yeah, not really. You do promise though, right?_

"Yeah, kiddo." He tried to sound grumpy, but he knew he didn't manage it when Ruby's arms wrapped him in a hug. He returned it without thought and swallowed thickly. "I promise."

The sound of grinding metal abruptly stopped behind him and he turned to watch as Yang strode off the elevator with a beaten to crap woman thrown over her shoulder and Nikos do the same with a gold thing that had to be the relic in her hands.

"Victory!" Yang barked loudly. "Hey, Penny you got anyone on board your fancy flying boat that can give medical attention." She tilted her head toward the woman on her shoulder. "She's in bad shape."

"I am capable of some basic medical aid." The robot strode forward with smile. "What is her condition."

"Dislocated shoulder." Yang grunted as she gently laid the woman out. "And some nasty burns on her hands. Along with all the normal issues of getting smacked around in a fight. Something's wrong with her side too and she clawed her own face off before we managed to stop her."

Robogirl nodded. "I can set the shoulder easily enough, but you are correct these are very severe burns." Her eyes flickered slightly and she frowned. "There's very little we can do about them here beyond wrap them with antiseptics to prevent infection." She tilted the woman's face up and ran a hand over the dark red patch on her side. "The scratches to her face are superficial. The injury to her side is... unusual. I don't have the knowledge to do more then stem the bleeding, but it doesn't seem life threatening. Her aura?"

"Broke it during the fight." Pyrrha replied smoothly. "We probably drained whatever had recovered subduing her."

"Anduriel was also screwing with her head somehow." Yang said flatly spinning a finger in a loop near her ear. "Pyrrha got him to stop, but he'd already pretty much driven her into a complete breakdown by then."

Oscar, who had approached tiredly during the conversation, narrowed his eyes. "Ozpin says it probably has something to do with the mantle. It's split between you meaning you're connected." He paused. "That doesn't make- I know it's magic but- fine! Something about following a wire?" He grumbled then shrugged when they all just stared at him. "It was a bunch of metaphors that didn't help." He rolled his eyes at something, but didn't elaborate.

"As good a guess as any." Pyrrha murmured staring down at the other woman. "This couldn't of been new, she was too familiar with it."

"Something to ask him." Yang said then her eyes flickered red. "We're going to have a good long talk regardless." Her eyes scanned the room and narrowed into dangerous slits. "Where's he at anyways?"

Everyone paused and looked around.

Anduriel was gone.

* * *

"You failed me, Leonardo." Salem spoke softly, she didn't let her voice show her frustration.

Through the Seer the cowardly fool trembled. As he should, he wasn't long for this world. She was just giving hm time to realize the depth of his mistake.

"My queen, please I-"

"You fled." She let the words hang in the air and Leonardo flinched. "Do you even have an excuse?"

"My, my queen I thought-"

"You were not suppose to think." She hissed, anger getting the best of her finally. "You were suppose to obey. What about my orders did you not understand, Leonardo?"

"I- I understood, My queen, but..." He trailed off in a terrified whimper.

"Do go on." She leaned back in her chair. "But what?"

"I- I was-"

"A coward." She finished. "And a failure." She willed the Seers tendrils to lash out and grab the headmasters limbs and neck. "You will be given a fitting reward for your... accomplishments."

Through the connected Seers she saw the spined tendrils rise to strike despite the incompetent fool's efforts to escape. Just before they did, however, a door opened.

The Grimm paused and Leonardo froze his eyes wide in a combination of hope and dread.

The Seer turned to the door only to find a single man stride into the room. Dressed in reds, golds and bronzes his outfit was eye catching, but it was his confidence that stopped her from killing her failed servant.

He moved toward Leonardo and the Seer with the self-assurance of someone in complete control of the situation.

Then she saw his eyes. His red and gold slit eyes, like those of some alien viper.

"Anduriel." She spoke calmly, cocking her head to the side in interest.

Idly she commanded the Seer to throw Leonardo away. The headmaster slammed against a wall and slumped to the ground too terrified to move.

"Ah, Salem." He said cordially. "I was hoping we could talk."

"Oh?" She leaned forward. "You know of me then. That's a surprise. Ozpin doesn't trust many with such information."

"Ozma," He said and her spine went rigid at the name, "Has told me nothing of you, girl. Nor is there anything he could say I do not already know." His smile was predatory now. A serpent's grin.

"Be careful what you say, boy, you know not whom you test."

"Oh, I know you Salem. Betrayer of Gods, liar, manipulator, murderer." His eyes gleamed as the lights in Lionheart's office flickered and began to fade. "You were very good at hiding the truth of yourself long ago, but it always came out in the end didn't it? Your daughters certainly knew you for what you are in their last moments."

Her fury erupted around her, glass shattered and the Seer moved trying to lash out and kill the man before it. Tendrils of green light reach from him and wrapped around the Grimm, holding it immobile and preventing it from taking any action. For a moment they stared at each other, before she growled.

"You will regret angering me. Few ever have, and none of them have lived long after." She leaned forward. "I don't know how you learned such things, but it matter little. Your last moments will be agonizing."

He laughed. He actually had the audacity to laugh. "Your confidence is born of ignorance, you are nothing to me. A child throwing a tantrum. That is all the great and terrible Salem is." He leered at her, his eyes gleaming in the slowly fading light. "When I reach you, and I will oh child of darkness, I will show you the true meaning of agony."

"I can't die, you fool." She snarled, the Seer struggled in his grip. Some form of telekinetic semblance. "The Gods cursed me with immortality. Nothing you do can ever stop me!"

"Oh I know, but dear child," The light faded completely and in the darkness a great star bloomed into life. She reeled back as her Seer erupted in green flame and began convulsing. **"Do you truly believe death is the only way to stop a frail thing like you? If you truly cannot die then I shall merely slay you. Over and over and over again, no two deaths the same, no two pains alike. You will become an aficionado of agony, a connoisseur of despair. I will break you, Salem. I shall flay your mind, layer by layer until all that remains of you is a gibbering husk."** The light around her failed, and in the darkness the Seer in front her burned away into a orb of green light. Screaming faces stared at her their visages contorted in rage. Her daughters faces were amongst them, as were many others she recognized. Grasping claws of toxic fire reached for her and she threw herself backwards, yet somehow she didn't get any farther away at all. **"No, Salem, death will be a mercy I will never grant you. I will leave you a broken, fragmented shell that knows only that once, once it had been mighty then it met Anduriel and all fell to ruin."**

The darkness trembled, the world shook and cracked and wavered. The light, the coiling poisonous flames reached out toward her with a hunger that no normal fire could possibly contain. Fury and hatred and rage bound in emerald flame.

" **NO ARMY, NO POWER OF THIS WORLD WILL STOP ME! WEEP, CHILD, FOR DOOM COMES! BEYOND THE REACH OF MEN OR GODS OR DEMONS YOU SHALL SUFFER FOR ETERNITY EVERLASTING!"**

The star of light detonated throwing her backwards into something solid. Her body shattered, bones powderized instantly under the sheer pressure of the impact. Blood vessels ruptured and organs liquefied within her as her body simply came apart at the seams. Death claimed her instantly. It was only a few moments later her eyes shot open as her body reformed and she began pushing herself off the ground.

The room was destroyed completely. Windows shattered, walls blown away, the central table reduced to little more then dust, and a massive yawning crater blasted in the floor where the Seer had been.

As she gazed around at the ruins of her once elegant meeting hall she felt something she had not felt in thousands of years.

 _Fear._

* * *

Anduriel turned to look at the vermin cowering in a corner of the room.

He smiled and the little rat flinched. "I believe that went rather well, don't you?"

The rodent stared for a few seconds more then his eyes rolled up in his head and he fainted on the spot.

"Perhaps not then." Anduriel sniffed indignantly. "Everyone's a critic."

"There you are!" Pyrrha yelled as she stormed into the room. "We've been looking everywhere for you!"

She paused and looked around. "What were you doing?"

"Oh," He said idly watching the ashes of the Seer Grimm drift out a nearby open window. "Just delivering a message and ensuring the headmaster didn't decide to leave us."

He waved at the vermin and dealing with him promptly consumed Pyrrha's attention.

All was well it seemed.

"Anduriel." Yang growled as she stomped into the room. "We need to talk."

Or not well, as it turned out.

* * *

A/N

So I'm a _little_ late. That's because, as some of you may have guessed, this chapter is... well it's long. Easily the longest chapter in the story. It's actually as long as any other two chapters combined. I did not expect it to be like this going in. The thing just took on a life of it's own as the battle progressed.

Generally, once I complete a chapter I take the 1st week of the next month as a break from writing, then use the 2nd week of a month to write the rough draft of the next chapter and the last week or so for corrections, alterations, polish, beta reader edits, etc. That is also what I tried to do for this one. It didn't work out. Due to the sheer size and my writing pace I didn't even get the rough draft done before the month ended and it's been going through corrections and edits since the start of April.

Hopefully the size makes up for the delay. If it makes any of you feel better I've actually been having something of a panic attack trying to decide between just throwing what I had up and fixing it later to maintain the schedule or wait for a more polished product. I decided to wait. Sorry if I worried anyone.

Unfortunately, I'm counting this as the chapter for this month, no way I can sprint another one out. So I'll hopefully be back on schedule next month.

As always Read and Review. Glitch out.


	18. Finale: The Road Ahead

_Do you see it? Do you feel it? Something has changed. The world has changed. Something beyond the kin of mortality has awakened. Beyond the scope of feeble flesh or our pathetically flickering souls. The vast sea between worlds hides mysteries beyond measure and something from those unfathomable depths is here._

 _Nothing will ever be the same. Even if everything seems to be._

 **~Unknown~**

* * *

"I can't believe this! You Knew! You knew and you still-!"

"Of course I knew! How could I not know who she was?"

Jaune cringed. Yang had been seething mad for some time now and he'd been wondering as to the why of it.

He knew now, they all did, because Yang had blown up at Anduriel almost as soon as they started talking. He really wished he didn't. It wasn't something that he should of heard at all. This was something private. Something personal.

Off to his left Ruby and her Uncle stood awkwardly as if unsure if they should break the two apart or just let them sort this out themselves.

"My mother!" Yang roared "My mother, you-you- raging jackass! I can't believe you nearly killed her!"

"Not for lack of trying believe me." Anduriel snarled back. "She's surprisingly difficult to eradicate."

Jaune had never seen him so... emotional before. Not to them at any rate. Certainly he'd never been more then passingly annoyed with any of them.

"You bastard!" The blond snapped pushing forward aggressively. Unsurprisingly Anduriel held both his ground and her gaze. "She was right there! Right there and you tried to kill her! You couldn't of just delayed her?! You couldn't of told her I was coming?! That I wanted to talk?!"

"Why in the world would I ever do something as foolish as that?" He spat back.

Next to him Pyrrha took an unsure step forward, but Jaune grabbed her shoulder. When she looked at him he gave a quick shake of his head. Ruby or Qrow might be able to talk Yang down, but the two of them would just make this worse. If the two started really fighting then they'd jump in, but until then it was better for them to stay out of this.

"She's my mother!" Yang screamed jabbing him in the chest with a finger. "You knew that! You know I've been looking for her!"

"She's poison." He hissed back at her. "She cares nothing for you. You will gain nothing from meeting her besides pain."

"That isn't for you to decide!" She was practically snarling now. A low growl that set the hairs on the back of Jaune neck on end.

Once again he wished to abandon the room, to flee, but he knew Pyrrha wouldn't, not with even the slimmist chance she might be needed to control Anduriel, and he wasn't going to leave her alone in this mess. Oscar had fled almost immediately, as had most of their friends taking the unconscious traitor with them. Only he, Pyrrha, Ruby, and Qrow remained. The four of them standing frozen along the far wall as Yang and Anduriel screamed at each other in the center of what had once been Lionheart's office.

Well Yang screamed, Anduriel mostly just growled back.

"It is when I am the one confronting her." Anduriel snapped. "I was not going to risk my existence or your sister's life just so you can speak to a woman that wants nothing to do with you."

"As if you were ever in danger!" Yang leaned forward. "As if you didn't have the entire situation perfectly under control! You could of at least told her I was here! She might have-"

"Might of what, Yang? Might of wanted to speak to the child she abandoned? Might of wanted to be part of a life she blatantly chose to leave behind her?"

"She's my mother!" Yang screamed her hair now flickering with golden flames. A worried Qrow began striding forward.

"That's funny," Anduriel's voice was a low growl, "I could of sworn your mother's name was Summer Rose."

A loud crack split the air. Qrow froze mid stride. All of them simply stopped.

Anduriel's head had snapped to the side his face set in an expression of perplexed disbelief. Yang stood before him, one arm raised. He couldn't see her face, but he could see the trembling in the arm she'd just used to slap what amounted to a god. Her whole body shook with her raging emotions.

Without another word she spun and ran away. Jaune had just enough time to see furious tears streaming down her face as she fled.

Anduriel took a single step after her, one hand outstretched as if to catch her and locked up as she disappeared out the door.

For a moment they all just stood there.

" **RRRAAAAAGGGHHHHH!"**

Anduriel roared wordlessly and spun to the opposite side of the room. His hand lashed out and a massive blast of green light devoured the far wall. It didn't even explode, the entire thing simply vanished completely. There wasn't even smoke or shrapnel, just a cleanly cut hole sheared into what had seconds ago been a wall.

He stood there panting for a moment his shoulders rising and falling with ragged breaths.

Pyrrha took an uncertain step forward. "Anduriel?"

He froze and for a second nobody moved. Then the world around him flickered and he was gone.

Pyrrha locked up, her eyes going wide.

"Pyrrha?" When she didn't respond he stepped up next to her and gently touched her shoulder. His girlfriend jumped and whirled to face him. "What's wrong? Pyrrha?"

"He's gone." She breathed out.

Shock filtered through him for a moment. "What do you mean he's gone?"

"I can't feel him." She whispered. "He's blocked me out. He's never done that before... I..."

"I'll go see if I can find Yang." Qrow mumbled, running a hand through his hair. "Ruby, come on."

His first friend at Beacon, his first real friend period, paused to look at him. He gave her a silent nod. He could handle this, she needed to see to her sister. She sent him a strained smile and vanished out the door.

"He's still here though, right?" He whispered, pulling her over to a set of chairs and sitting her down.

She was moving like she was on autopilot, her eyes unfocused and far away.

"I don't know." She breathed. "I... I can't feel him at all."

She started to tremble slightly.

"Hey, hey." He cupped her face and her eyes focused on him. "I'm here, relax. He's here too someplace he just... he just needs some time alone."

Her hands came to grip his shoulders and she pressed her forehead against his gently. Her eyes closed and she took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Okay." She whispered. "Okay, I'm... I'm fine now." Her voice still trembled slightly. "Just... Just stay with me, ok?"

"Of course." He smiled. "I'll always be here for you."

She smiled back.

* * *

Cinder glared silently at the ceiling above her. She ignored the incessant beeping of the machines around her that recorded her vitals. She had not honestly expected to wake up. She had expected to die.

She hadn't. Her enemies were softhearted fools. She could only assume it wasn't Anduriel that had decided her fate.

He would of killed her without hesitation. He likely still would.

The door opened, but she didn't turn her head to see who it was. She didn't care.

She'd failed. She'd failed completely. Her mistress would almost certainly kill her for it.

Salem did not tolerate failure. Not on this scale.

There was no place for her to go. Nothing for her anywhere.

She heard whoever had entered her room stride across the floor and sit down in a nearby chair.

"Hello, Miss Fall." A young male voice spoke from next to her bed.

She didn't answer. There wasn't any reason.

"Not in a talking mood. That is fine, you need only listen."

She wished she had the energy to use her semblance or the Mantle, but she was still too exhausted for either. If she could she would of scared whoever this brat was off.

"We've come to something of an impasse." The voice spoke. "You have something we need. Something we can't let Salem have."

"The power of Fall." She whispered quickly becoming bored with trying to ignore the conversation. If this person wouldn't leave her be at least she could distract herself.

"Yes." The voice said conversationally. "Obviously, the simplest solution would be to kill you, that way Miss Nikos would claim the magic herself."

"So why am I alive."

"Because in the end, we are not monsters. Killing a defenseless young woman, even an enemy, sits poorly with almost all of us."

"You're fools."

"Hhmm." The voice hummed thoughtfully. "From a certain point of view, I suppose we are."

"What then?"

"We are willing to offer you a choice."

She blinked and for the first time turned to look at the person she was speaking with.

It was a boy, a young teenager in simple cloths with bright gold eyes. It was the cane at his side that drew her eyes though, before they focused back on his own.

"Ozpin."

"Indeed." He gave her a small wave. "Hello again, Miss Fall."

"What choice?"

"The first is to die." He said simply. "Qrow has offered to make it quick and painless."

"Some choice." She snorted.

Ozpin shrugged. "We have little choice ourselves. If you refuse our offer, killing you is our only other option." He continued before she could retort. "Anduriel has told me that ultimately, you have no true loyalty to Salem. You care only for yourself. She was just a means to an end for you."

She didn't respond, merely glaring at the man she had once killed.

"So we offer you this: Join us and we will help you achieve your desire. I, in particular, know several ways you can claim your dream still."

"You know nothing about my dreams." She hissed and turned away to glare at the ceiling.

"You wish to be strong." Ozpin responded. "No more then that. You wish to _matter_." She stilled, her heart skipped a beat. "I've seen your kind oh so many times over the centuries. Whether great heroes or terrible villains always one thing about people like you remains. You wish to have the strength, the power, to _mean_ something in this world."

She turned her head back to him, her amber eyes trying to bore into his golden ones.

"Salem promised you that." He waved his hand in an encompassing gesture. "She has failed to deliver."

"I _am_ strong." She snarled.

He nodded. "Certainly you are, but are you as you wish to be? Do you matter?"

She looked away as her body trembled. The beeping of the monitors quickened.

"No."

"So then." she heard him lean back in the chair. "That is what I offer. The power to matter."

"Just like that?" She whispered. "After everything I've done."

He hummed thoughtfully. "No, not just like that. You'll have to prove yourself."

She turned to regard him coldly. "I don't regret what I've done."

"I know, nor would I ask you too." He leaned forward. "Regret means little, but action. Ah, action can wash away sins and the path to that redemption is treacherous. It will test you, it will make you stronger itself, and at the end of it if your dream remains unchanged?" He leaned back and shrugged. "I still have some magic in me yet. Magic I can give to you in payment for your services."

"I see." She whispered. Her eyes turned back to the ceiling. "Then I suppose I accept."

* * *

Salem stood in her personal room staring into a mirror. She ran her hand over her face. Her left eye in particular.

A small razor thin line traced over the eye.

A scar.

A wound.

She had not walked away unscathed from her encounter with Anduriel. He had managed to actually harm her. Something she had not even thought possible. She had never suffered a single injury that did not heal and while this one had healed it had left a lasting mark. That had never happened before.

It frightened her. Not because she thought he could kill her, if he could she'd welcome it with open arms, but because he had the _power_ to do such.

He _could_ kill her.

Yet he said he _wouldn't._

He promised her suffering unending and it appeared he had the capability to deliver upon that promise.

She took a breath and turned form the mirror.

Her minions had failed. She hadn't even been surprised by the outcome, not after encountering what they faced herself. They'd never had a chance. Not really.

She was nothing if not intelligent though. Centuries of experience in her and Ozpin's shadowy game of cat and mouse had granted her an unparalleled cunning. She could not defeat Anduriel, she doubted anyone could. Maybe a massive army, but even that she doubted. Tyrian called him a god and she had faced gods with armies before. It hadn't worked then, it likely wouldn't work now.

Unlike the Twins, however, this god was bound not only in mortal form, but also to a mortal girl. He was tied to her, she could feel the connection. It was some form of magic or at least something not unlike magic.

Pyrrha Nikos was his weakness. His only weakness. If she falls the god falls with her.

"So be it." Salem growled. "The girl dies."

She strode from the room with new direction.

She was not beaten yet.

* * *

"Let me get this straight." Qrow groaned. "You want us to split up?"

"Yes. It's the best option available I believe."

Qrow Branwen shook his head, grabbed the shot glass in front of him and downed it before pouring himself another. He stolen the drinks from Lionheart's personal stash in his office. The man wouldn't be needing them locked up as he was in an Atlas battleship waiting to stand trail for his crimes.

"Oz." Qrow moaned and looked at the ceiling. "They'll never go for it. Hell, even I think it's a bad idea. Never split the party, Oz."

"This is hardly one of your board games, Qrow." Ozpin responded with a roll of his eyes. "Besides can you really tell me Anduriel and Yang will object to being separated right now?"

Qrow scowled. "No, they wouldn't, but they need to work this out."

"What they need." Ozpin counters. "Is time apart to cool down. Yang's emotions run hot and she deals with them by venting them onto the perpetrators, but she's not willing to unleash her fury here. Not on someone she's so close to. The wound is too raw for her to heal like this. Anduriel doesn't even seem to truly grasp his emotions. Whatever happened to him that granted him Aura has given him an altered perspective of our world and he has no idea how to deal with it." He shook his head. "They need time, Qrow, throwing them at each other will solve nothing. It may just make the situation worse."

"I hate it when you make sense about things I don't like." Qrow groaned.

"There's no way they can just talk this out?" Oscar asked. His eyes flickered back to gold. "Not from what I've seen."

"Talking isn't going to help this, much as I hate to admit it." Qrow grumbled. "Yang's got a temper, but she doesn't really have many ways to make her really mad, like hate levels of mad. Raven is one of them and Anduriel jammed that button hard."

"Does she hate him?" Ozpin questioned in concern. They truly could not afford that.

"No." The other man sighed. "She wants to, I can tell, but somehow they bonded on their trip here. Pyrrha outright told me Yang's nearly as close to him as she is. That's really saying something. So she can't hate him, no matter how much she wishes she could."

"Which of course makes it worse." Ozpin sighed and took a sip of his coffee. "Conflicted as they both are this will not be solved quickly. They need time, time we don't have."

"You sure about that?" Qrow threw back the shot of brandy he had and poured himself another one. "We just dealt a pretty major blow to Salem if you ask me. She'll be on the back foot for a while."

Ozpin nods. "That's my point, we have an opportunity here. One I've never truly had before. Not only is Anduriel likely the only being on the planet capable of truly slaying Salem, but she's cut her own momentum with this misstep. If we don't use it the chance might never appear again."

"So then what's the play?" Qrow asked, swirling the shot cup around while glaring into the liqueur. "Why split up?"

"We need the other three relics." Ozpin answered. "With them we can draw Salem out, she'll have to respond to us gathering them in one place. She can't risk us calling the Twins."

"Bait." Qrow said flatly.

"Precisely."

The other man seemed to think about it for a few moments then threw the shot back in one gulp. "I don't like it, but it makes sense. All we need is to get Anduriel near her and it's game over."

"And if that fails," Ozpin took a breath, "then we can still use the relics to call upon the Twin Gods. Perhaps they'd be willing to help us."

"Fat chance, given what you've said about them."

"That's why it's option C."

Qrow blinked. "What's A?"

"Hide in a hole and hope Salem calms down after a few centuries."

"Didn't work?"

"It's been more then a few centuries."

"Ah."

They sat like that for a few minutes before Qrow groaned and threw back another shot.

"Guess I'll be the one telling the brats. Whose going where?"

"That I believe is for them to decide. Tell them you and I will be handling Vale though."

Qrow grumbled. "And the witch?"

"Miss Fall will be coming with us."

The glass cracked in Qrows hand. "To Vale." He spoke flatly. "The city she attacked."

They weren't questions, but he answered all the same. "Yes. We two are the only ones who are willing to kill her should she turn against us."

"You think Anduriel wouldn't kill her?" Qrow scoffed.

"I believe Anduriel would kill her whether she truly joins us or not. Her death is more valuable to him then anything her life could offer."

"Nikos."

"Yes. He would see it as strengthening Miss Nikos. If Cinder goes with Anduriel's group she will die, there is no question of that."

"Why bother with this?" Qrow grumbled. "Why even give her the chance?"

Ozpin was silent for a long time. He took a sip of his coffee and sighed. "Let us just say I am tired of being the only one in this war to suffer betrayals. I believe it is time Salem gets a taste of that for herself."

Qrow nodded. "Fine. She puts a toe out of line though, I'm cutting her head off."

"I would expect nothing less."

* * *

"So..." Ruby looked them all over. "This is it. We decide now. Atlas and Vacou. Who goes where?"

Weiss immediately stepped forward. "Atlas seems the most logical place for me to go. Much as I dislike the idea of walking back into my father's hands I could use the SDC's influence to help there."

Ruby stilled as she gazed at her partner. Somehow she knew she wouldn't be going with her. Weiss turned to look at her and they shared a moment of acceptance. She smiled and Weiss smiled back. They would be fine, it wouldn't be forever.

"Right." Ruby nodded. "So who do you think would be best suited to help."

Weiss glanced over their team. All of them were here though Yang and Anduriel had sequestered themselves as far away from each other as possible. The two were ignoring each other completely, but at least they were paying attention.

"Pyrrha would be the most useful."

The redhead in question blinked. "Me?!"

"You've dealt with high society for years. We'll need that in Atlas." She turned back to Ruby. "That means Jaune and Anduriel come by default so that's my group. I'd ask for Ren too, but-"

"No way, Ren's mine!" Nora barked.

"Yes, that." Weiss nodded.

"Me, Sis, Blake, Nora and Ren for Vacou then."

"Actually." Blake whispered quietly. "I need to go home."

Yang stilled. "Blake."

"Yang," The faunus girl murmured, "I have to go. I have to warn my parents, my people, about what's happening."

"Then..." Yang fidgeted looking around in obvious distress. "Then I'm going with you."

"Yang, you need to go with Ruby." Blake turned to her partner. "They're going to need you."

"And let you gallivant off to Menagerie on your own to do who knows what?!" Yang leaned forward hands on hips. "Heck, no!"

"Can you guys give us a few minutes." Blake whispered as she grabbed Yang's hand and lead her off to the side. The brawler suddenly seemed a lot less confident.

"So." Ruby shook herself. "Four to each Kingdom. Blake's going to her parents. Uncle Qrow and the Headmaster are covering Vale."

"And the Fire Lady." Nora helpfully supplies.

"I was trying to forget she exists, thank you, Nora." Ruby grumbled.

"Your welcome!"

"Ugh," With a roll of her eyes she got back on track. "So... I guess we're sorted, provided Yang figures out were she's going."

"Vacou." Said girl grumbled as she and Blake returned. "I'm going to Vacou despite my own opinions on the matter."

"I'll be fine Yang, we already pretty much dismantled the White Fang. They won't have any power left on Menagerie."

"You just jinxed it." Yang pointed at her partner. "You realize that, right?"

"So I guess tomorrow is goodbye then?" Jaune asked uncertainly.

A pit formed in her stomach as she looked around at all her friends. This... this could be the last time they were all together for a very long time. She swallowed. She was a leader, she couldn't let this get to her. She had faith in her teammates, they would all be fine.

Without a word she stuck a fist out toward the center of the group.

For a second nobody reacted and she started to feel a little silly. Then Nora giggled and held out her own fist. Yang rolled her eyes, but smiled for the first time in what seemed days and did the same.

One by one her friends followed suit until Anduriel and Pyrrha added their hands to the ring at the same time.

"We're a team." She said quietly. Her eyes slid over each face in their circle. "We'll always be a team. One day, we'll be back together again. Then we'll finish this, all of it."

Jaune chuckled. "Yeah, the Grimm won't even know what hit them."

The entire group threw their hands up at the same time with a cheer.

* * *

Outside the room Oscar leaned against the wall with a smile.

Ozpin was silent in his mind, but he didn't have to say anything.

From the moment he had first become part of his life Oscar had always felt something was missing from Ozpin's thoughts. He was determined and collected. He was calm and focused. He was intelligent and wise. He was all those things and more.

Yet he'd been missing something and now Oscar knew what it was. Something he had lost a long, long time ago if Oscar had to guess.

Hope.

Yet in this moment, that feeling surged through them both.

* * *

 **Finale Note**

I started this story in 2017. That seems so long ago now. It has been a journey and so many of you stuck with me from the very beginning. That, more then anything, I am thankful for. So thank you, all of you, that stuck this out from then until now. To those who reviewed every chapter, to those who merely read through, to those who talked with me in messages and discussed everything form the characters to politics. Thank you, truly. I hope this little tale brightened your days, gave you some laughs, maybe even just a few smiles.

Just to be clear, this is always were this story was suppose to end, but I'd originally planned another story after it. The thing is, and many FF writers might be familiar with this, is I am burned out on this story. I've put nearly two years of my life into it, more then any one single project I have ever started, but the drive is simply gone now. So I forced myself to finish at least this story if not the full tale just so everyone at least gets the ending of what amounts to a season instead of me just vanishing into the void.

I might one day come back and post that sequel, but if I do it won't be for a very long time.

From me to all of my readers: Thank you and until next time.

Glitch, out.

~The Devil You Don't~

~By AMinorGlitch~


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